diff --git a/drivers/net/wwan/wwan_hwsim.c b/drivers/net/wwan/wwan_hwsim.c
index fad642f9ffd8d..857a55b625fea 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wwan/wwan_hwsim.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wwan/wwan_hwsim.c
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ static struct wwan_hwsim_dev *wwan_hwsim_dev_new(void)
 	return ERR_PTR(err);
 
 err_free_dev:
-	kfree(dev);
+	put_device(&dev->dev);
 
 	return ERR_PTR(err);
 }