diff --git a/include/net/bluetooth/hci_core.h b/include/net/bluetooth/hci_core.h
index c4ca422..25b8a03 100644
--- a/include/net/bluetooth/hci_core.h
+++ b/include/net/bluetooth/hci_core.h
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@
 	struct work_struct work_del;
 
 	struct device	dev;
+	atomic_t	devref;
 
 	struct hci_dev	*hdev;
 	void		*l2cap_data;
@@ -339,6 +340,9 @@
 void hci_conn_enter_active_mode(struct hci_conn *conn);
 void hci_conn_enter_sniff_mode(struct hci_conn *conn);
 
+void hci_conn_hold_device(struct hci_conn *conn);
+void hci_conn_put_device(struct hci_conn *conn);
+
 static inline void hci_conn_hold(struct hci_conn *conn)
 {
 	atomic_inc(&conn->refcnt);
diff --git a/net/bluetooth/hci_conn.c b/net/bluetooth/hci_conn.c
index fa47d5d..a975098 100644
--- a/net/bluetooth/hci_conn.c
+++ b/net/bluetooth/hci_conn.c
@@ -246,6 +246,8 @@
 	if (hdev->notify)
 		hdev->notify(hdev, HCI_NOTIFY_CONN_ADD);
 
+	atomic_set(&conn->devref, 0);
+
 	hci_conn_init_sysfs(conn);
 
 	tasklet_enable(&hdev->tx_task);
@@ -288,7 +290,7 @@
 
 	skb_queue_purge(&conn->data_q);
 
-	hci_conn_del_sysfs(conn);
+	hci_conn_put_device(conn);
 
 	hci_dev_put(hdev);
 
@@ -583,6 +585,19 @@
 	hci_dev_unlock(hdev);
 }
 
+void hci_conn_hold_device(struct hci_conn *conn)
+{
+	atomic_inc(&conn->devref);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(hci_conn_hold_device);
+
+void hci_conn_put_device(struct hci_conn *conn)
+{
+	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&conn->devref))
+		hci_conn_del_sysfs(conn);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(hci_conn_put_device);
+
 int hci_get_conn_list(void __user *arg)
 {
 	struct hci_conn_list_req req, *cl;
diff --git a/net/bluetooth/hci_event.c b/net/bluetooth/hci_event.c
index 184ba0a..e99fe38 100644
--- a/net/bluetooth/hci_event.c
+++ b/net/bluetooth/hci_event.c
@@ -887,6 +887,7 @@
 		} else
 			conn->state = BT_CONNECTED;
 
+		hci_conn_hold_device(conn);
 		hci_conn_add_sysfs(conn);
 
 		if (test_bit(HCI_AUTH, &hdev->flags))
@@ -1693,6 +1694,7 @@
 		conn->handle = __le16_to_cpu(ev->handle);
 		conn->state  = BT_CONNECTED;
 
+		hci_conn_hold_device(conn);
 		hci_conn_add_sysfs(conn);
 		break;