diff --git a/drivers/mfd/sm501.c b/drivers/mfd/sm501.c
index 0ee6d8940e69..8276456b142f 100644
--- a/drivers/mfd/sm501.c
+++ b/drivers/mfd/sm501.c
@@ -704,9 +704,11 @@ static int sm501_register_device(struct sm501_devdata *sm,
 	if (ret >= 0) {
 		dev_dbg(sm->dev, "registered %s\n", pdev->name);
 		list_add_tail(&smdev->list, &sm->devices);
-	} else
+	} else {
 		dev_err(sm->dev, "error registering %s (%d)\n",
 			pdev->name, ret);
+		platform_device_put(pdev);
+	}
 
 	return ret;
 }