diff --git a/block/blk.h b/block/blk.h
index 49e2928a1632..f5a46d0020fb 100644
--- a/block/blk.h
+++ b/block/blk.h
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ char *disk_name(struct gendisk *hd, int partno, char *buf);
 #define ADDPART_FLAG_NONE	0
 #define ADDPART_FLAG_RAID	1
 #define ADDPART_FLAG_WHOLEDISK	2
-void delete_partition(struct gendisk *disk, struct hd_struct *part);
+void delete_partition(struct gendisk *disk, int partno);
 int bdev_add_partition(struct block_device *bdev, int partno,
 		sector_t start, sector_t length);
 int bdev_del_partition(struct block_device *bdev, int partno);
diff --git a/block/genhd.c b/block/genhd.c
index 99c64641c314..40abc70b92ab 100644
--- a/block/genhd.c
+++ b/block/genhd.c
@@ -913,7 +913,7 @@ void del_gendisk(struct gendisk *disk)
 			     DISK_PITER_INCL_EMPTY | DISK_PITER_REVERSE);
 	while ((part = disk_part_iter_next(&piter))) {
 		invalidate_partition(disk, part->partno);
-		delete_partition(disk, part);
+		delete_partition(disk, part->partno);
 	}
 	disk_part_iter_exit(&piter);
 
diff --git a/block/partitions/core.c b/block/partitions/core.c
index e62a98a8eeb7..aff1552ff7aa 100644
--- a/block/partitions/core.c
+++ b/block/partitions/core.c
@@ -310,17 +310,25 @@ int hd_ref_init(struct hd_struct *part)
  * Must be called either with bd_mutex held, before a disk can be opened or
  * after all disk users are gone.
  */
-void delete_partition(struct gendisk *disk, struct hd_struct *part)
+void delete_partition(struct gendisk *disk, int partno)
 {
 	struct disk_part_tbl *ptbl =
 		rcu_dereference_protected(disk->part_tbl, 1);
+	struct hd_struct *part;
+
+	if (partno >= ptbl->len)
+		return;
+ 
+	part = rcu_dereference_protected(ptbl->part[partno], 1);
+	if (!part)
+		return;
 
 	/*
 	 * ->part_tbl is referenced in this part's release handler, so
 	 *  we have to hold the disk device
 	 */
 	get_device(disk_to_dev(part_to_disk(part)));
-	rcu_assign_pointer(ptbl->part[part->partno], NULL);
+	rcu_assign_pointer(ptbl->part[partno], NULL);
 	kobject_put(part->holder_dir);
 	device_del(part_to_dev(part));
 
@@ -531,10 +539,10 @@ int bdev_del_partition(struct block_device *bdev, int partno)
 	if (!part)
 		return -ENXIO;
 
-	ret = -ENOMEM;
 	bdevp = bdget(part_devt(part));
+	disk_put_part(part);
 	if (!bdevp)
-		goto out_put_part;
+		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	mutex_lock(&bdevp->bd_mutex);
 
@@ -546,15 +554,13 @@ int bdev_del_partition(struct block_device *bdev, int partno)
 	invalidate_bdev(bdevp);
 
 	mutex_lock_nested(&bdev->bd_mutex, 1);
-	delete_partition(bdev->bd_disk, part);
+	delete_partition(bdev->bd_disk, partno);
 	mutex_unlock(&bdev->bd_mutex);
 
 	ret = 0;
 out_unlock:
 	mutex_unlock(&bdevp->bd_mutex);
 	bdput(bdevp);
-out_put_part:
-	disk_put_part(part);
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -627,7 +633,7 @@ int blk_drop_partitions(struct block_device *bdev)
 
 	disk_part_iter_init(&piter, bdev->bd_disk, DISK_PITER_INCL_EMPTY);
 	while ((part = disk_part_iter_next(&piter)))
-		delete_partition(bdev->bd_disk, part);
+		delete_partition(bdev->bd_disk, part->partno);
 	disk_part_iter_exit(&piter);
 
 	return 0;