diff --git a/drivers/w1/w1.c b/drivers/w1/w1.c
index 890c038c25f871..c1d0e723fabc92 100644
--- a/drivers/w1/w1.c
+++ b/drivers/w1/w1.c
@@ -1140,6 +1140,8 @@ int w1_process(void *data)
 	/* remainder if it woke up early */
 	unsigned long jremain = 0;
 
+	atomic_inc(&dev->refcnt);
+
 	for (;;) {
 
 		if (!jremain && dev->search_count) {
diff --git a/drivers/w1/w1_int.c b/drivers/w1/w1_int.c
index 1c776178f598d0..eb851eb4430050 100644
--- a/drivers/w1/w1_int.c
+++ b/drivers/w1/w1_int.c
@@ -60,10 +60,9 @@ static struct w1_master *w1_alloc_dev(u32 id, int slave_count, int slave_ttl,
 	dev->search_count	= w1_search_count;
 	dev->enable_pullup	= w1_enable_pullup;
 
-	/* 1 for w1_process to decrement
-	 * 1 for __w1_remove_master_device to decrement
+	/* For __w1_remove_master_device to decrement
 	 */
-	atomic_set(&dev->refcnt, 2);
+	atomic_set(&dev->refcnt, 1);
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dev->slist);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dev->async_list);