diff --git a/lib/kobject.c b/lib/kobject.c
index f2ccdba..83198cb 100644
--- a/lib/kobject.c
+++ b/lib/kobject.c
@@ -498,8 +498,10 @@ int kobject_rename(struct kobject *kobj, const char *new_name)
 	kobj = kobject_get(kobj);
 	if (!kobj)
 		return -EINVAL;
-	if (!kobj->parent)
+	if (!kobj->parent) {
+		kobject_put(kobj);
 		return -EINVAL;
+	}
 
 	devpath = kobject_get_path(kobj, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!devpath) {