diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_vidc_common.c b/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_vidc_common.c
index 3af6e53b21e7..ee3cfb88855c 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_vidc_common.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/msm/vidc/msm_vidc_common.c
@@ -2614,6 +2614,7 @@ int msm_comm_check_core_init(struct msm_vidc_core *core)
 	int rc = 0;
 	struct hfi_device *hdev;
 	struct msm_vidc_inst *inst = NULL;
+	int dref = 0;
 
 	mutex_lock(&core->lock);
 	if (core->state >= VIDC_CORE_INIT_DONE) {
@@ -2637,11 +2638,16 @@ int msm_comm_check_core_init(struct msm_vidc_core *core)
 		 * Just grab one of the inst from instances list and
 		 * use it.
 		 */
-		inst = list_first_entry(&core->instances,
+		inst = list_first_entry_or_null(&core->instances,
 			struct msm_vidc_inst, list);
+		if (inst)
+			dref = kref_get_unless_zero(&inst->kref);
 
 		mutex_unlock(&core->lock);
-		msm_comm_print_debug_info(inst);
+		if (dref) {
+			msm_comm_print_debug_info(inst);
+			put_inst(inst);
+		}
 		mutex_lock(&core->lock);
 
 		BUG_ON(msm_vidc_debug_timeout);