diff --git a/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c b/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c
index ff15497e919956..440d6da9a04a6e 100644
--- a/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c
+++ b/drivers/cpufreq/cpufreq.c
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ pure_initcall(init_cpufreq_transition_notifier_list);
 static LIST_HEAD(cpufreq_governor_list);
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(cpufreq_governor_mutex);
 
-struct cpufreq_policy *cpufreq_cpu_get(unsigned int cpu)
+static struct cpufreq_policy *__cpufreq_cpu_get(unsigned int cpu, int sysfs)
 {
 	struct cpufreq_policy *data;
 	unsigned long flags;
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ struct cpufreq_policy *cpufreq_cpu_get(unsigned int cpu)
 	if (!data)
 		goto err_out_put_module;
 
-	if (!kobject_get(&data->kobj))
+	if (!sysfs && !kobject_get(&data->kobj))
 		goto err_out_put_module;
 
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&cpufreq_driver_lock, flags);
@@ -170,16 +170,35 @@ struct cpufreq_policy *cpufreq_cpu_get(unsigned int cpu)
 err_out:
 	return NULL;
 }
+
+struct cpufreq_policy *cpufreq_cpu_get(unsigned int cpu)
+{
+	return __cpufreq_cpu_get(cpu, 0);
+}
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(cpufreq_cpu_get);
 
+static struct cpufreq_policy *cpufreq_cpu_get_sysfs(unsigned int cpu)
+{
+	return __cpufreq_cpu_get(cpu, 1);
+}
 
-void cpufreq_cpu_put(struct cpufreq_policy *data)
+static void __cpufreq_cpu_put(struct cpufreq_policy *data, int sysfs)
 {
-	kobject_put(&data->kobj);
+	if (!sysfs)
+		kobject_put(&data->kobj);
 	module_put(cpufreq_driver->owner);
 }
+
+void cpufreq_cpu_put(struct cpufreq_policy *data)
+{
+	__cpufreq_cpu_put(data, 0);
+}
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(cpufreq_cpu_put);
 
+static void cpufreq_cpu_put_sysfs(struct cpufreq_policy *data)
+{
+	__cpufreq_cpu_put(data, 1);
+}
 
 /*********************************************************************
  *            EXTERNALLY AFFECTING FREQUENCY CHANGES                 *
@@ -613,7 +632,7 @@ static ssize_t show(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr, char *buf)
 	struct cpufreq_policy *policy = to_policy(kobj);
 	struct freq_attr *fattr = to_attr(attr);
 	ssize_t ret = -EINVAL;
-	policy = cpufreq_cpu_get(policy->cpu);
+	policy = cpufreq_cpu_get_sysfs(policy->cpu);
 	if (!policy)
 		goto no_policy;
 
@@ -627,7 +646,7 @@ static ssize_t show(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr, char *buf)
 
 	unlock_policy_rwsem_read(policy->cpu);
 fail:
-	cpufreq_cpu_put(policy);
+	cpufreq_cpu_put_sysfs(policy);
 no_policy:
 	return ret;
 }
@@ -638,7 +657,7 @@ static ssize_t store(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr,
 	struct cpufreq_policy *policy = to_policy(kobj);
 	struct freq_attr *fattr = to_attr(attr);
 	ssize_t ret = -EINVAL;
-	policy = cpufreq_cpu_get(policy->cpu);
+	policy = cpufreq_cpu_get_sysfs(policy->cpu);
 	if (!policy)
 		goto no_policy;
 
@@ -652,7 +671,7 @@ static ssize_t store(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr,
 
 	unlock_policy_rwsem_write(policy->cpu);
 fail:
-	cpufreq_cpu_put(policy);
+	cpufreq_cpu_put_sysfs(policy);
 no_policy:
 	return ret;
 }