diff --git a/drivers/usb/serial/ftdi_sio.c b/drivers/usb/serial/ftdi_sio.c
index aab567644b99..0ab8474b00cb 100644
--- a/drivers/usb/serial/ftdi_sio.c
+++ b/drivers/usb/serial/ftdi_sio.c
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ static __u16 vendor = FTDI_VID;
 static __u16 product;
 
 struct ftdi_private {
+	struct kref kref;
 	ftdi_chip_type_t chip_type;
 				/* type of device, either SIO or FT8U232AM */
 	int baud_base;		/* baud base clock for divisor setting */
@@ -1354,6 +1355,7 @@ static int ftdi_sio_port_probe(struct usb_serial_port *port)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
+	kref_init(&priv->kref);
 	spin_lock_init(&priv->rx_lock);
 	spin_lock_init(&priv->tx_lock);
 	init_waitqueue_head(&priv->delta_msr_wait);
@@ -1470,6 +1472,13 @@ static void ftdi_shutdown(struct usb_serial *serial)
 	dbg("%s", __func__);
 }
 
+static void ftdi_sio_priv_release(struct kref *k)
+{
+	struct ftdi_private *priv = container_of(k, struct ftdi_private, kref);
+
+	kfree(priv);
+}
+
 static int ftdi_sio_port_remove(struct usb_serial_port *port)
 {
 	struct ftdi_private *priv = usb_get_serial_port_data(port);
@@ -1484,7 +1493,7 @@ static int ftdi_sio_port_remove(struct usb_serial_port *port)
 
 	if (priv) {
 		usb_set_serial_port_data(port, NULL);
-		kfree(priv);
+		kref_put(&priv->kref, ftdi_sio_priv_release);
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -1549,7 +1558,8 @@ static int ftdi_open(struct tty_struct *tty,
 		dev_err(&port->dev,
 			"%s - failed submitting read urb, error %d\n",
 			__func__, result);
-
+	else
+		kref_get(&priv->kref);
 
 	return result;
 } /* ftdi_open */
@@ -1591,11 +1601,11 @@ static void ftdi_close(struct tty_struct *tty,
 	mutex_unlock(&port->serial->disc_mutex);
 
 	/* cancel any scheduled reading */
-	cancel_delayed_work(&priv->rx_work);
-	flush_scheduled_work();
+	cancel_delayed_work_sync(&priv->rx_work);
 
 	/* shutdown our bulk read */
 	usb_kill_urb(port->read_urb);
+	kref_put(&priv->kref, ftdi_sio_priv_release);
 } /* ftdi_close */