diff --git a/drivers/char/virtio_console.c b/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
index 8a15af3e1a9d..3beea9d478bc 100644
--- a/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
+++ b/drivers/char/virtio_console.c
@@ -272,9 +272,12 @@ static struct port *find_port_by_devt_in_portdev(struct ports_device *portdev,
 	unsigned long flags;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&portdev->ports_lock, flags);
-	list_for_each_entry(port, &portdev->ports, list)
-		if (port->cdev->dev == dev)
+	list_for_each_entry(port, &portdev->ports, list) {
+		if (port->cdev->dev == dev) {
+			kref_get(&port->kref);
 			goto out;
+		}
+	}
 	port = NULL;
 out:
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&portdev->ports_lock, flags);
@@ -1036,14 +1039,10 @@ static int port_fops_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *filp)
 	struct port *port;
 	int ret;
 
+	/* We get the port with a kref here */
 	port = find_port_by_devt(cdev->dev);
 	filp->private_data = port;
 
-	/* Prevent against a port getting hot-unplugged at the same time */
-	spin_lock_irq(&port->portdev->ports_lock);
-	kref_get(&port->kref);
-	spin_unlock_irq(&port->portdev->ports_lock);
-
 	/*
 	 * Don't allow opening of console port devices -- that's done
 	 * via /dev/hvc