diff --git a/lib/kobject.c b/lib/kobject.c
index aeefa8b..d90c692 100644
--- a/lib/kobject.c
+++ b/lib/kobject.c
@@ -531,6 +531,13 @@
 	return kobj;
 }
 
+static struct kobject *kobject_get_unless_zero(struct kobject *kobj)
+{
+	if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&kobj->kref))
+		kobj = NULL;
+	return kobj;
+}
+
 /*
  * kobject_cleanup - free kobject resources.
  * @kobj: object to cleanup
@@ -753,7 +760,7 @@
 
 	list_for_each_entry(k, &kset->list, entry) {
 		if (kobject_name(k) && !strcmp(kobject_name(k), name)) {
-			ret = kobject_get(k);
+			ret = kobject_get_unless_zero(k);
 			break;
 		}
 	}