diff --git a/drivers/spi/spi-fsl-spi.c b/drivers/spi/spi-fsl-spi.c
index bf3fc3ce0cc2..1252c41c206f 100644
--- a/drivers/spi/spi-fsl-spi.c
+++ b/drivers/spi/spi-fsl-spi.c
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ static struct spi_controller *fsl_spi_probe(struct device *dev,
 
 	mpc8xxx_spi_write_reg(&reg_base->mode, regval);
 
-	ret = devm_spi_register_controller(dev, host);
+	ret = spi_register_controller(host);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto err_probe;
 
@@ -705,7 +705,13 @@ static void of_fsl_spi_remove(struct platform_device *ofdev)
 	struct spi_controller *host = platform_get_drvdata(ofdev);
 	struct mpc8xxx_spi *mpc8xxx_spi = spi_controller_get_devdata(host);
 
+	spi_controller_get(host);
+
+	spi_unregister_controller(host);
+
 	fsl_spi_cpm_free(mpc8xxx_spi);
+
+	spi_controller_put(host);
 }
 
 static struct platform_driver of_fsl_spi_driver = {
@@ -751,7 +757,13 @@ static void plat_mpc8xxx_spi_remove(struct platform_device *pdev)
 	struct spi_controller *host = platform_get_drvdata(pdev);
 	struct mpc8xxx_spi *mpc8xxx_spi = spi_controller_get_devdata(host);
 
+	spi_controller_get(host);
+
+	spi_unregister_controller(host);
+
 	fsl_spi_cpm_free(mpc8xxx_spi);
+
+	spi_controller_put(host);
 }
 
 MODULE_ALIAS("platform:mpc8xxx_spi");