diff --git a/drivers/rpmsg/virtio_rpmsg_bus.c b/drivers/rpmsg/virtio_rpmsg_bus.c
index 3a62e61971519..b03e7404212f4 100644
--- a/drivers/rpmsg/virtio_rpmsg_bus.c
+++ b/drivers/rpmsg/virtio_rpmsg_bus.c
@@ -853,7 +853,7 @@ static void rpmsg_virtio_del_ctrl_dev(struct rpmsg_device *rpdev_ctrl)
 {
 	if (!rpdev_ctrl)
 		return;
-	kfree(to_virtio_rpmsg_channel(rpdev_ctrl));
+	device_unregister(&rpdev_ctrl->dev);
 }
 
 static int rpmsg_probe(struct virtio_device *vdev)