diff --git a/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-input.c b/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-input.c
index f84a1208d5d3..3612f0d730dd 100644
--- a/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-input.c
+++ b/drivers/media/usb/em28xx/em28xx-input.c
@@ -736,7 +736,8 @@ static int em28xx_ir_init(struct em28xx *dev)
 			dev->board.has_ir_i2c = 0;
 			dev_warn(&dev->intf->dev,
 				 "No i2c IR remote control device found.\n");
-			return -ENODEV;
+			err = -ENODEV;
+			goto ref_put;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -751,7 +752,7 @@ static int em28xx_ir_init(struct em28xx *dev)
 
 	ir = kzalloc(sizeof(*ir), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!ir)
-		return -ENOMEM;
+		goto ref_put;
 	rc = rc_allocate_device(RC_DRIVER_SCANCODE);
 	if (!rc)
 		goto error;
@@ -862,6 +863,9 @@ error:
 	dev->ir = NULL;
 	rc_free_device(rc);
 	kfree(ir);
+ref_put:
+	em28xx_shutdown_buttons(dev);
+	kref_put(&dev->ref, em28xx_free_device);
 	return err;
 }