diff --git a/drivers/i3c/master.c b/drivers/i3c/master.c
index fd3e79d10c84..b66729c7c3ec 100644
--- a/drivers/i3c/master.c
+++ b/drivers/i3c/master.c
@@ -3048,11 +3048,12 @@ static void i3c_master_unregister_i3c_devs(struct i3c_master_controller *master)
 		if (!i3cdev->dev)
 			continue;
 
-		i3cdev->dev->desc = NULL;
-		if (device_is_registered(&i3cdev->dev->dev))
+		if (device_is_registered(&i3cdev->dev->dev)) {
+			get_device(&i3cdev->dev->dev);
 			device_unregister(&i3cdev->dev->dev);
-		else
-			put_device(&i3cdev->dev->dev);
+		}
+		i3cdev->dev->desc = NULL;
+		put_device(&i3cdev->dev->dev);
 		i3cdev->dev = NULL;
 	}
 }