--- x/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c
+++ a/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c
@@ -1396,6 +1396,7 @@ aoecmd_ata_id(struct aoedev *d)
 	ah->lba3 = 0xa0;
 
 	skb->dev = t->ifp->nd;
+	dev_hold(skb->dev);
 
 	d->rttavg = RTTAVG_INIT;
 	d->rttdev = RTTDEV_INIT;
--- x/drivers/block/aoe/aoenet.c
+++ a/drivers/block/aoe/aoenet.c
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ tx(int id) __must_hold(&txlock)
 			pr_warn("aoe: packet could not be sent on %s.  %s\n",
 				ifp ? ifp->name : "netif",
 				"consider increasing tx_queue_len");
+		dev_put(ifp);
 		spin_lock_irq(&txlock);
 	}
 	return 0;