diff --git a/block/partitions/core.c b/block/partitions/core.c
index dc60ecf46fe6..b5acf9914f6e 100644
--- a/block/partitions/core.c
+++ b/block/partitions/core.c
@@ -291,8 +291,11 @@ static void delete_partition(struct block_device *part)
 	__invalidate_device(part, true);
 
 	xa_erase(&part->bd_disk->part_tbl, part->bd_partno);
-	kobject_put(part->bd_holder_dir);
-	device_del(&part->bd_device);
+
+	if (part->bd_holder_dir == NULL) {
+		kobject_put(part->bd_holder_dir);
+		device_del(&part->bd_device);
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * Remove the block device from the inode hash, so that it cannot be