diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
index d9d075bc5549..e689faab81fd 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.c
@@ -625,6 +625,7 @@ struct thermal_zone_device *thermal_zone_get_by_id(int id)
 	mutex_lock(&thermal_list_lock);
 	list_for_each_entry(tz, &thermal_tz_list, node) {
 		if (tz->id == id) {
+			get_device(&tz->device);
 			match = tz;
 			break;
 		}
diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.h b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.h
index e9c099ecdd0f..8963833de31c 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.h
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_core.h
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ int for_each_thermal_governor(int (*cb)(struct thermal_governor *, void *),
 
 struct thermal_zone_device *thermal_zone_get_by_id(int id);
 
+DEFINE_CLASS(thermal_zone_get_by_id, struct thermal_zone_device *,
+	     if (_T) put_device(&_T->device), thermal_zone_get_by_id(id), int id)
+
 struct thermal_attr {
 	struct device_attribute attr;
 	char name[THERMAL_NAME_LENGTH];
diff --git a/drivers/thermal/thermal_netlink.c b/drivers/thermal/thermal_netlink.c
index 76a231a29654..8e9d84723b36 100644
--- a/drivers/thermal/thermal_netlink.c
+++ b/drivers/thermal/thermal_netlink.c
@@ -446,7 +446,6 @@ static int thermal_genl_cmd_tz_get_trip(struct param *p)
 {
 	struct sk_buff *msg = p->msg;
 	const struct thermal_trip *trip;
-	struct thermal_zone_device *tz;
 	struct nlattr *start_trip;
 	int id;
 
@@ -455,7 +454,7 @@ static int thermal_genl_cmd_tz_get_trip(struct param *p)
 
 	id = nla_get_u32(p->attrs[THERMAL_GENL_ATTR_TZ_ID]);
 
-	tz = thermal_zone_get_by_id(id);
+	CLASS(thermal_zone_get_by_id, tz)(id);
 	if (!tz)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
@@ -489,7 +488,6 @@ out_cancel_nest:
 static int thermal_genl_cmd_tz_get_temp(struct param *p)
 {
 	struct sk_buff *msg = p->msg;
-	struct thermal_zone_device *tz;
 	int temp, ret, id;
 
 	if (!p->attrs[THERMAL_GENL_ATTR_TZ_ID])
@@ -497,7 +495,7 @@ static int thermal_genl_cmd_tz_get_temp(struct param *p)
 
 	id = nla_get_u32(p->attrs[THERMAL_GENL_ATTR_TZ_ID]);
 
-	tz = thermal_zone_get_by_id(id);
+	CLASS(thermal_zone_get_by_id, tz)(id);
 	if (!tz)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
@@ -515,7 +513,6 @@ static int thermal_genl_cmd_tz_get_temp(struct param *p)
 static int thermal_genl_cmd_tz_get_gov(struct param *p)
 {
 	struct sk_buff *msg = p->msg;
-	struct thermal_zone_device *tz;
 	int id, ret = 0;
 
 	if (!p->attrs[THERMAL_GENL_ATTR_TZ_ID])
@@ -523,7 +520,7 @@ static int thermal_genl_cmd_tz_get_gov(struct param *p)
 
 	id = nla_get_u32(p->attrs[THERMAL_GENL_ATTR_TZ_ID]);
 
-	tz = thermal_zone_get_by_id(id);
+	CLASS(thermal_zone_get_by_id, tz)(id);
 	if (!tz)
 		return -EINVAL;