diff --git a/drivers/vfio/vfio.c b/drivers/vfio/vfio.c
index 8e8b73b..881fc3a 100644
--- a/drivers/vfio/vfio.c
+++ b/drivers/vfio/vfio.c
@@ -1751,6 +1751,15 @@
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(vfio_group_put_external_user);
 
+bool vfio_external_group_match_file(struct vfio_group *test_group,
+				    struct file *filep)
+{
+	struct vfio_group *group = filep->private_data;
+
+	return (filep->f_op == &vfio_group_fops) && (group == test_group);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(vfio_external_group_match_file);
+
 int vfio_external_user_iommu_id(struct vfio_group *group)
 {
 	return iommu_group_id(group->iommu_group);
diff --git a/include/linux/vfio.h b/include/linux/vfio.h
index 0ecae0b..ed46675 100644
--- a/include/linux/vfio.h
+++ b/include/linux/vfio.h
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@
  */
 extern struct vfio_group *vfio_group_get_external_user(struct file *filep);
 extern void vfio_group_put_external_user(struct vfio_group *group);
+extern bool vfio_external_group_match_file(struct vfio_group *group,
+					   struct file *filep);
 extern int vfio_external_user_iommu_id(struct vfio_group *group);
 extern long vfio_external_check_extension(struct vfio_group *group,
 					  unsigned long arg);
diff --git a/virt/kvm/vfio.c b/virt/kvm/vfio.c
index 1dd087d..111e09c 100644
--- a/virt/kvm/vfio.c
+++ b/virt/kvm/vfio.c
@@ -47,6 +47,22 @@
 	return vfio_group;
 }
 
+static bool kvm_vfio_external_group_match_file(struct vfio_group *group,
+					       struct file *filep)
+{
+	bool ret, (*fn)(struct vfio_group *, struct file *);
+
+	fn = symbol_get(vfio_external_group_match_file);
+	if (!fn)
+		return false;
+
+	ret = fn(group, filep);
+
+	symbol_put(vfio_external_group_match_file);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 static void kvm_vfio_group_put_external_user(struct vfio_group *vfio_group)
 {
 	void (*fn)(struct vfio_group *);
@@ -171,18 +187,13 @@
 		if (!f.file)
 			return -EBADF;
 
-		vfio_group = kvm_vfio_group_get_external_user(f.file);
-		fdput(f);
-
-		if (IS_ERR(vfio_group))
-			return PTR_ERR(vfio_group);
-
 		ret = -ENOENT;
 
 		mutex_lock(&kv->lock);
 
 		list_for_each_entry(kvg, &kv->group_list, node) {
-			if (kvg->vfio_group != vfio_group)
+			if (!kvm_vfio_external_group_match_file(kvg->vfio_group,
+								f.file))
 				continue;
 
 			list_del(&kvg->node);
@@ -196,7 +207,7 @@
 
 		mutex_unlock(&kv->lock);
 
-		kvm_vfio_group_put_external_user(vfio_group);
+		fdput(f);
 
 		kvm_vfio_update_coherency(dev);