diff --git a/net/ax25/af_ax25.c b/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
index 8077cf2ee448..d6f9fae06a9d 100644
--- a/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
+++ b/net/ax25/af_ax25.c
@@ -1378,8 +1378,10 @@ static int ax25_accept(struct socket *sock, struct socket *newsock,
 {
 	struct sk_buff *skb;
 	struct sock *newsk;
+	ax25_dev *ax25_dev;
 	DEFINE_WAIT(wait);
 	struct sock *sk;
+	ax25_cb *ax25;
 	int err = 0;
 
 	if (sock->state != SS_UNCONNECTED)
@@ -1434,6 +1436,10 @@ static int ax25_accept(struct socket *sock, struct socket *newsock,
 	kfree_skb(skb);
 	sk_acceptq_removed(sk);
 	newsock->state = SS_CONNECTED;
+	ax25 = sk_to_ax25(newsk);
+	ax25_dev = ax25->ax25_dev;
+	netdev_hold(ax25_dev->dev, &ax25->dev_tracker, GFP_ATOMIC);
+	ax25_dev_hold(ax25_dev);
 
 out:
 	release_sock(sk);