diff --git a/kernel/audit_watch.c b/kernel/audit_watch.c
index ad9c1682f616..54ee4bd66aef 100644
--- a/kernel/audit_watch.c
+++ b/kernel/audit_watch.c
@@ -203,7 +203,6 @@ int audit_to_watch(struct audit_krule *krule, char *path, int len, u32 op)
 	if (IS_ERR(watch))
 		return PTR_ERR(watch);
 
-	audit_get_watch(watch);
 	krule->watch = watch;
 
 	return 0;
@@ -387,8 +386,7 @@ static void audit_add_to_parent(struct audit_krule *krule,
 
 		watch_found = 1;
 
-		/* put krule's and initial refs to temporary watch */
-		audit_put_watch(watch);
+		/* put krule's ref to temporary watch */
 		audit_put_watch(watch);
 
 		audit_get_watch(w);
@@ -400,6 +398,7 @@ static void audit_add_to_parent(struct audit_krule *krule,
 		audit_get_parent(parent);
 		watch->parent = parent;
 
+		audit_get_watch(watch);
 		list_add(&watch->wlist, &parent->watches);
 	}
 	list_add(&krule->rlist, &watch->rules);
diff --git a/kernel/auditfilter.c b/kernel/auditfilter.c
index 72e1660a79a3..4cb9b44f806e 100644
--- a/kernel/auditfilter.c
+++ b/kernel/auditfilter.c
@@ -549,8 +549,6 @@ static struct audit_entry *audit_data_to_entry(struct audit_rule_data *data,
 	return entry;
 
 exit_free:
-	if (entry->rule.watch)
-		audit_put_watch(entry->rule.watch); /* matches initial get */
 	if (entry->rule.tree)
 		audit_put_tree(entry->rule.tree); /* that's the temporary one */
 	audit_free_rule(entry);
@@ -881,7 +879,7 @@ static inline int audit_add_rule(struct audit_entry *entry)
 		/* normally audit_add_tree_rule() will free it on failure */
 		if (tree)
 			audit_put_tree(tree);
-		goto error;
+		return err;
 	}
 
 	if (watch) {
@@ -895,14 +893,14 @@ static inline int audit_add_rule(struct audit_entry *entry)
 			 */
 			if (tree)
 				audit_put_tree(tree);
-			goto error;
+			return err;
 		}
 	}
 	if (tree) {
 		err = audit_add_tree_rule(&entry->rule);
 		if (err) {
 			mutex_unlock(&audit_filter_mutex);
-			goto error;
+			return err;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -933,11 +931,6 @@ static inline int audit_add_rule(struct audit_entry *entry)
 #endif
 	mutex_unlock(&audit_filter_mutex);
 
- 	return 0;
-
-error:
-	if (watch)
-		audit_put_watch(watch); /* tmp watch, matches initial get */
 	return err;
 }
 
@@ -945,7 +938,6 @@ static inline int audit_add_rule(struct audit_entry *entry)
 static inline int audit_del_rule(struct audit_entry *entry)
 {
 	struct audit_entry  *e;
-	struct audit_watch *watch = entry->rule.watch;
 	struct audit_tree *tree = entry->rule.tree;
 	struct list_head *list;
 	int ret = 0;
@@ -986,8 +978,6 @@ static inline int audit_del_rule(struct audit_entry *entry)
 	mutex_unlock(&audit_filter_mutex);
 
 out:
-	if (watch)
-		audit_put_watch(watch); /* match initial get */
 	if (tree)
 		audit_put_tree(tree);	/* that's the temporary one */