diff --git a/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c b/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c
index 576537774628..16629382a787 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c
@@ -105,6 +105,15 @@ static void mtd_release(struct device *dev)
 	device_destroy(&mtd_class, index + 1);
 }
 
+/*
+ * No-op device release used in add_mtd_device() error paths.
+ * Prevents mtd_release() from being called via device_release(),
+ * which would free the mtd_info that the caller still manages.
+ */
+static void mtd_dev_release_nop(struct device *dev)
+{
+}
+
 static void mtd_device_release(struct kref *kref)
 {
 	struct mtd_info *mtd = container_of(kref, struct mtd_info, refcnt);
@@ -799,10 +808,8 @@ int add_mtd_device(struct mtd_info *mtd)
 	mtd_check_of_node(mtd);
 	of_node_get(mtd_get_of_node(mtd));
 	error = device_register(&mtd->dev);
-	if (error) {
-		put_device(&mtd->dev);
+	if (error)
 		goto fail_added;
-	}
 
 	/* Add the nvmem provider */
 	error = mtd_nvmem_add(mtd);
@@ -840,8 +847,16 @@ int add_mtd_device(struct mtd_info *mtd)
 	return 0;
 
 fail_nvmem_add:
-	device_unregister(&mtd->dev);
+	device_del(&mtd->dev);
 fail_added:
+	/*
+	 * Clear type and set nop release to prevent mtd_release() ->
+	 * release_mtd_partition() -> free_partition() from freeing mtd.
+	 * The caller handles cleanup on failure.
+	 */
+	mtd->dev.type = NULL;
+	mtd->dev.release = mtd_dev_release_nop;
+	put_device(&mtd->dev);
 	of_node_put(mtd_get_of_node(mtd));
 fail_devname:
 	idr_remove(&mtd_idr, i);