diff --git a/drivers/char/misc.c b/drivers/char/misc.c
index 2cf595d2e10b85fef701f44275ca0987600a1b3c..f7dd455dd0dd3c7c9956e772b5ab8bd83a67a4a6 100644
--- a/drivers/char/misc.c
+++ b/drivers/char/misc.c
@@ -264,8 +264,8 @@ int misc_register(struct miscdevice *misc)
 		device_create_with_groups(&misc_class, misc->parent, dev,
 					  misc, misc->groups, "%s", misc->name);
 	if (IS_ERR(misc->this_device)) {
+		misc_minor_free(misc->minor);
 		if (is_dynamic) {
-			misc_minor_free(misc->minor);
 			misc->minor = MISC_DYNAMIC_MINOR;
 		}
 		err = PTR_ERR(misc->this_device);