diff --git a/drivers/mmc/core/block.c b/drivers/mmc/core/block.c
index 9890a1532cb0..ce8aed562929 100644
--- a/drivers/mmc/core/block.c
+++ b/drivers/mmc/core/block.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include <linux/errno.h>
 #include <linux/hdreg.h>
 #include <linux/kdev_t.h>
+#include <linux/kref.h>
 #include <linux/blkdev.h>
 #include <linux/cdev.h>
 #include <linux/mutex.h>
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ struct mmc_blk_data {
 #define MMC_BLK_CMD23	(1 << 0)	/* Can do SET_BLOCK_COUNT for multiblock */
 #define MMC_BLK_REL_WR	(1 << 1)	/* MMC Reliable write support */
 
-	unsigned int	usage;
+	struct kref	kref;
 	unsigned int	read_only;
 	unsigned int	part_type;
 	unsigned int	reset_done;
@@ -181,10 +182,8 @@ static struct mmc_blk_data *mmc_blk_get(struct gendisk *disk)
 
 	mutex_lock(&open_lock);
 	md = disk->private_data;
-	if (md && md->usage == 0)
+	if (md && !kref_get_unless_zero(&md->kref))
 		md = NULL;
-	if (md)
-		md->usage++;
 	mutex_unlock(&open_lock);
 
 	return md;
@@ -196,18 +195,25 @@ static inline int mmc_get_devidx(struct gendisk *disk)
 	return devidx;
 }
 
+static void mmc_blk_kref_release(struct kref *ref)
+{
+	struct mmc_blk_data *md = container_of(ref, struct mmc_blk_data, kref);
+	int devidx;
+
+	devidx = mmc_get_devidx(md->disk);
+	ida_simple_remove(&mmc_blk_ida, devidx);
+
+	mutex_lock(&open_lock);
+	md->disk->private_data = NULL;
+	mutex_unlock(&open_lock);
+
+	put_disk(md->disk);
+	kfree(md);
+}
+
 static void mmc_blk_put(struct mmc_blk_data *md)
 {
-	mutex_lock(&open_lock);
-	md->usage--;
-	if (md->usage == 0) {
-		int devidx = mmc_get_devidx(md->disk);
-
-		ida_simple_remove(&mmc_blk_ida, devidx);
-		put_disk(md->disk);
-		kfree(md);
-	}
-	mutex_unlock(&open_lock);
+	kref_put(&md->kref, mmc_blk_kref_release);
 }
 
 static ssize_t power_ro_lock_show(struct device *dev,
@@ -2327,7 +2333,8 @@ static struct mmc_blk_data *mmc_blk_alloc_req(struct mmc_card *card,
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&md->part);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&md->rpmbs);
-	md->usage = 1;
+	kref_init(&md->kref);
+
 	md->queue.blkdata = md;
 
 	md->disk->major	= MMC_BLOCK_MAJOR;