diff --git a/drivers/firmware/raspberrypi.c b/drivers/firmware/raspberrypi.c
index da26a584dca0..eb3b052a407e 100644
--- a/drivers/firmware/raspberrypi.c
+++ b/drivers/firmware/raspberrypi.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <linux/dma-mapping.h>
+#include <linux/kref.h>
 #include <linux/mailbox_client.h>
 #include <linux/module.h>
 #include <linux/of_platform.h>
@@ -27,6 +28,8 @@ struct rpi_firmware {
 	struct mbox_chan *chan; /* The property channel. */
 	struct completion c;
 	u32 enabled;
+
+	struct kref consumers;
 };
 
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(transaction_lock);
@@ -214,12 +217,31 @@ static void rpi_register_clk_driver(struct device *dev)
 						-1, NULL, 0);
 }
 
+static void rpi_firmware_delete(struct kref *kref)
+{
+	struct rpi_firmware *fw = container_of(kref, struct rpi_firmware,
+					       consumers);
+
+	mbox_free_channel(fw->chan);
+	kfree(fw);
+}
+
+void rpi_firmware_put(struct rpi_firmware *fw)
+{
+	kref_put(&fw->consumers, rpi_firmware_delete);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(rpi_firmware_put);
+
 static int rpi_firmware_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 {
 	struct device *dev = &pdev->dev;
 	struct rpi_firmware *fw;
 
-	fw = devm_kzalloc(dev, sizeof(*fw), GFP_KERNEL);
+	/*
+	 * Memory will be freed by rpi_firmware_delete() once all users have
+	 * released their firmware handles. Don't use devm_kzalloc() here.
+	 */
+	fw = kzalloc(sizeof(*fw), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!fw)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -236,6 +258,7 @@ static int rpi_firmware_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	}
 
 	init_completion(&fw->c);
+	kref_init(&fw->consumers);
 
 	platform_set_drvdata(pdev, fw);
 
@@ -264,7 +287,8 @@ static int rpi_firmware_remove(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	rpi_hwmon = NULL;
 	platform_device_unregister(rpi_clk);
 	rpi_clk = NULL;
-	mbox_free_channel(fw->chan);
+
+	rpi_firmware_put(fw);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -273,16 +297,26 @@ static int rpi_firmware_remove(struct platform_device *pdev)
  * rpi_firmware_get - Get pointer to rpi_firmware structure.
  * @firmware_node:    Pointer to the firmware Device Tree node.
  *
+ * The reference to rpi_firmware has to be released with rpi_firmware_put().
+ *
  * Returns NULL is the firmware device is not ready.
  */
 struct rpi_firmware *rpi_firmware_get(struct device_node *firmware_node)
 {
 	struct platform_device *pdev = of_find_device_by_node(firmware_node);
+	struct rpi_firmware *fw;
 
 	if (!pdev)
 		return NULL;
 
-	return platform_get_drvdata(pdev);
+	fw = platform_get_drvdata(pdev);
+	if (!fw)
+		return NULL;
+
+	if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&fw->consumers))
+		return NULL;
+
+	return fw;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(rpi_firmware_get);
 
diff --git a/include/soc/bcm2835/raspberrypi-firmware.h b/include/soc/bcm2835/raspberrypi-firmware.h
index 7800e12ee042..f11e9d3f6fd3 100644
--- a/include/soc/bcm2835/raspberrypi-firmware.h
+++ b/include/soc/bcm2835/raspberrypi-firmware.h
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ int rpi_firmware_property(struct rpi_firmware *fw,
 			  u32 tag, void *data, size_t len);
 int rpi_firmware_property_list(struct rpi_firmware *fw,
 			       void *data, size_t tag_size);
+void rpi_firmware_put(struct rpi_firmware *fw);
 struct rpi_firmware *rpi_firmware_get(struct device_node *firmware_node);
 #else
 static inline int rpi_firmware_property(struct rpi_firmware *fw, u32 tag,
@@ -154,6 +155,7 @@ static inline int rpi_firmware_property_list(struct rpi_firmware *fw,
 	return -ENOSYS;
 }
 
+static inline void rpi_firmware_put(struct rpi_firmware *fw) { }
 static inline struct rpi_firmware *rpi_firmware_get(struct device_node *firmware_node)
 {
 	return NULL;