--- y/net/smc/smc_pnet.c
+++ x/net/smc/smc_pnet.c
@@ -306,15 +306,20 @@ static bool smc_pnetid_valid(const char
 static struct smc_ib_device *smc_pnet_find_ib(char *ib_name)
 {
 	struct smc_ib_device *ibdev;
+	struct device *dev;
 
 	mutex_lock(&smc_ib_devices.mutex);
 	list_for_each_entry(ibdev, &smc_ib_devices.list, list) {
-		if (!strncmp(ibdev->ibdev->name, ib_name,
-			     sizeof(ibdev->ibdev->name)) ||
-		    !strncmp(dev_name(ibdev->ibdev->dev.parent), ib_name,
-			     IB_DEVICE_NAME_MAX - 1)) {
+		if (!strncmp(ibdev->ibdev->name, ib_name, sizeof(ibdev->ibdev->name)))
+			goto out;
+		dev = get_device(ibdev->ibdev->dev.parent);
+		if (!dev)
+			continue;
+		if (!strncmp(dev_name(dev), ib_name, IB_DEVICE_NAME_MAX - 1)) {
+			put_device(dev);
 			goto out;
 		}
+		put_device(dev);
 	}
 	ibdev = NULL;
 out: