diff --git a/drivers/block/nbd.c b/drivers/block/nbd.c
index 57532465fb83..f8597d2fb365 100644
--- a/drivers/block/nbd.c
+++ b/drivers/block/nbd.c
@@ -1293,13 +1293,15 @@ static int nbd_start_device_ioctl(struct nbd_device *nbd, struct block_device *b
 
 	if (max_part)
 		bdev->bd_invalidated = 1;
+
+	refcount_inc(&nbd->config_refs);
 	mutex_unlock(&nbd->config_lock);
 	ret = wait_event_interruptible(config->recv_wq,
 					 atomic_read(&config->recv_threads) == 0);
-	if (ret) {
+	if (ret)
 		sock_shutdown(nbd);
-		flush_workqueue(nbd->recv_workq);
-	}
+	flush_workqueue(nbd->recv_workq);
+
 	mutex_lock(&nbd->config_lock);
 	nbd_bdev_reset(bdev);
 	/* user requested, ignore socket errors */
@@ -1307,6 +1309,7 @@ static int nbd_start_device_ioctl(struct nbd_device *nbd, struct block_device *b
 		ret = 0;
 	if (test_bit(NBD_RT_TIMEDOUT, &config->runtime_flags))
 		ret = -ETIMEDOUT;
+	nbd_config_put(nbd);
 	return ret;
 }