diff --git a/drivers/hid/hid-roccat.c b/drivers/hid/hid-roccat.c
index 4f15eb951039..32927b20bcfe 100644
--- a/drivers/hid/hid-roccat.c
+++ b/drivers/hid/hid-roccat.c
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ struct roccat_report {
 struct roccat_device {
 	unsigned int minor;
 	int report_size;
-	int open;
 	int exist;
+	struct kref ref;
 	wait_queue_head_t wait;
 	struct device *dev;
 	struct hid_device *hid;
@@ -70,10 +70,12 @@ static struct roccat_device *devices[ROCCAT_MAX_DEVICES];
 /* protects modifications of devices array */
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(devices_lock);
 
-static void roccat_free_device(struct roccat_device *device)
+static void roccat_free_device(struct kref *ref)
 {
+	struct roccat_device *device;
 	int i;
 
+	device = container_of(ref, struct roccat_device, ref);
 	for (i = 0; i < ROCCAT_CBUF_SIZE; i++)
 		kfree(device->cbuf[i].value);
 	kfree(device);
@@ -177,20 +179,18 @@ static int roccat_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 
 	mutex_lock(&device->readers_lock);
 
-	if (!device->open++) {
+	if (list_empty(&device->readers)) {
 		/* power on device on adding first reader */
 		error = hid_hw_power(device->hid, PM_HINT_FULLON);
-		if (error < 0) {
-			--device->open;
+		if (error < 0)
 			goto exit_err_readers;
-		}
 
 		error = hid_hw_open(device->hid);
 		if (error < 0) {
 			hid_hw_power(device->hid, PM_HINT_NORMAL);
-			--device->open;
 			goto exit_err_readers;
 		}
+		kref_get(&device->ref);
 	}
 
 	reader->device = device;
@@ -211,32 +211,28 @@ static int roccat_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 
 static int roccat_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 {
-	unsigned int minor = iminor(inode);
 	struct roccat_reader *reader = file->private_data;
-	struct roccat_device *device;
-
-	mutex_lock(&devices_lock);
+	struct roccat_device *device = reader->device;
+	bool open;
 
-	device = devices[minor];
-	if (!device) {
-		mutex_unlock(&devices_lock);
-		pr_emerg("roccat device with minor %d doesn't exist\n", minor);
+	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!device))
 		return -ENODEV;
-	}
 
 	mutex_lock(&device->readers_lock);
 	list_del(&reader->node);
+	open = !list_empty(&device->readers);
 	mutex_unlock(&device->readers_lock);
 	kfree(reader);
 
-	if (!--device->open) {
+	mutex_lock(&devices_lock);
+
+	if (!open) {
 		/* removing last reader */
 		if (device->exist) {
 			hid_hw_power(device->hid, PM_HINT_NORMAL);
 			hid_hw_close(device->hid);
-		} else {
-			roccat_free_device(device);
 		}
+		kref_put(&device->ref, roccat_free_device);
 	}
 
 	mutex_unlock(&devices_lock);
@@ -344,18 +340,18 @@ int roccat_connect(const struct class *klass, struct hid_device *hid, int report
 		return temp;
 	}
 
-	mutex_unlock(&devices_lock);
-
 	init_waitqueue_head(&device->wait);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&device->readers);
 	mutex_init(&device->readers_lock);
 	mutex_init(&device->cbuf_lock);
+	kref_init(&device->ref);
 	device->minor = minor;
 	device->hid = hid;
 	device->exist = 1;
 	device->cbuf_end = 0;
 	device->report_size = report_size;
 
+	mutex_unlock(&devices_lock);
 	return minor;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(roccat_connect);
@@ -366,25 +362,31 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(roccat_connect);
 void roccat_disconnect(int minor)
 {
 	struct roccat_device *device;
+	bool open;
 
 	mutex_lock(&devices_lock);
 	device = devices[minor];
-	mutex_unlock(&devices_lock);
+	if (!device)
+		goto out;
 
 	device->exist = 0; /* TODO exist maybe not needed */
 
 	device_destroy(device->dev->class, MKDEV(roccat_major, minor));
 
-	mutex_lock(&devices_lock);
 	devices[minor] = NULL;
-	mutex_unlock(&devices_lock);
 
-	if (device->open) {
+	mutex_lock(&device->readers_lock);
+	open = !list_empty(&device->readers);
+	mutex_unlock(&device->readers_lock);
+
+	if (open) {
 		hid_hw_close(device->hid);
 		wake_up_interruptible(&device->wait);
-	} else {
-		roccat_free_device(device);
 	}
+
+	kref_put(&device->ref, roccat_free_device);
+out:
+	mutex_unlock(&devices_lock);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(roccat_disconnect);