diff --git a/virt/kvm/kvm_main.c b/virt/kvm/kvm_main.c
index ee5f48cc100b..15e304e059d4 100644
--- a/virt/kvm/kvm_main.c
+++ b/virt/kvm/kvm_main.c
@@ -1134,6 +1134,9 @@ static struct kvm *kvm_create_vm(unsigned long type, const char *fdname)
 	if (!kvm)
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENOMEM);
 
+	/* KVM is pinned via open("/dev/kvm"), the fd passed to this ioctl(). */
+	__module_get(kvm_chardev_ops.owner);
+
 	KVM_MMU_LOCK_INIT(kvm);
 	mmgrab(current->mm);
 	kvm->mm = current->mm;
@@ -1226,16 +1229,6 @@ static struct kvm *kvm_create_vm(unsigned long type, const char *fdname)
 	preempt_notifier_inc();
 	kvm_init_pm_notifier(kvm);
 
-	/*
-	 * When the fd passed to this ioctl() is opened it pins the module,
-	 * but try_module_get() also prevents getting a reference if the module
-	 * is in MODULE_STATE_GOING (e.g. if someone ran "rmmod --wait").
-	 */
-	if (!try_module_get(kvm_chardev_ops.owner)) {
-		r = -ENODEV;
-		goto out_err;
-	}
-
 	return kvm;
 
 out_err:
@@ -1259,6 +1252,7 @@ static struct kvm *kvm_create_vm(unsigned long type, const char *fdname)
 out_err_no_srcu:
 	kvm_arch_free_vm(kvm);
 	mmdrop(current->mm);
+	module_put(kvm_chardev_ops.owner);
 	return ERR_PTR(r);
 }