*/
 void rtc_device_unregister(struct rtc_device *rtc)
 {
-       mutex_lock(&rtc->ops_lock);
-       rtc->ops = NULL;
-       mutex_unlock(&rtc->ops_lock);
-       class_device_unregister(&rtc->class_dev);
+       if (class_device_get(&rtc->class_dev) != NULL) {
+               mutex_lock(&rtc->ops_lock);
+               /* remove innards of this RTC, then disable it, before
+                * letting any rtc_class_open() users access it again
+                */
+               class_device_unregister(&rtc->class_dev);
+               rtc->ops = NULL;
+               mutex_unlock(&rtc->ops_lock);
+               class_device_put(&rtc->class_dev);
+       }
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(rtc_device_unregister);
 
 
        down(&rtc_class->sem);
        list_for_each_entry(class_dev_tmp, &rtc_class->children, node) {
                if (strncmp(class_dev_tmp->class_id, name, BUS_ID_SIZE) == 0) {
-                       class_dev = class_dev_tmp;
+                       class_dev = class_device_get(class_dev_tmp);
                        break;
                }
        }
 void rtc_class_close(struct class_device *class_dev)
 {
        module_put(to_rtc_device(class_dev)->owner);
+       class_device_put(class_dev);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(rtc_class_close);