diff --git a/net/atm/lec.c b/net/atm/lec.c
index 6257bf12e5a00b7250c6b1ae52e50176c33e88d6..08155c0d906ec978951aeae4974dec315cd7c699 100644
--- a/net/atm/lec.c
+++ b/net/atm/lec.c
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ static unsigned char bus_mac[ETH_ALEN] = { 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff };
 
 /* Device structures */
 static struct net_device *dev_lec[MAX_LEC_ITF];
+static DEFINE_MUTEX(lec_mutex);
 
 #if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_BRIDGE)
 static void lec_handle_bridge(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
@@ -903,7 +904,6 @@ static void *lec_itf_walk(struct lec_state *state, loff_t *l)
 	v = (dev && netdev_priv(dev)) ?
 		lec_priv_walk(state, l, netdev_priv(dev)) : NULL;
 	if (!v && dev) {
-		dev_put(dev);
 		/* Partial state reset for the next time we get called */
 		dev = NULL;
 	}
@@ -927,6 +927,7 @@ static void *lec_seq_start(struct seq_file *seq, loff_t *pos)
 {
 	struct lec_state *state = seq->private;
 
+	mutex_lock(&lec_mutex);
 	state->itf = 0;
 	state->dev = NULL;
 	state->locked = NULL;
@@ -944,8 +945,9 @@ static void lec_seq_stop(struct seq_file *seq, void *v)
 	if (state->dev) {
 		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&state->locked->lec_arp_lock,
 				       state->flags);
-		dev_put(state->dev);
+		state->dev = NULL;
 	}
+	mutex_unlock(&lec_mutex);
 }
 
 static void *lec_seq_next(struct seq_file *seq, void *v, loff_t *pos)