diff --git a/scst/src/scst_lib.c b/scst/src/scst_lib.c
index 448245423..612946eb6 100644
--- a/scst/src/scst_lib.c
+++ b/scst/src/scst_lib.c
@@ -5470,6 +5470,8 @@ static int scst_alloc_add_tgt_dev(struct scst_session *sess,
 
 	*out_tgt_dev = tgt_dev;
 
+	percpu_ref_get(&dev->refcnt);
+
 out:
 	TRACE_EXIT_RES(res);
 	return res;
@@ -5572,6 +5574,8 @@ static void scst_free_tgt_dev(struct scst_tgt_dev *tgt_dev)
 
 	kmem_cache_free(scst_tgtd_cachep, tgt_dev);
 
+	percpu_ref_put(&dev->refcnt);
+
 	TRACE_EXIT();
 	return;
 }