diff --git a/gsi/gsi.c b/gsi/gsi.c
index d8f077cb36..22b955481a 100644
--- a/gsi/gsi.c
+++ b/gsi/gsi.c
@@ -3147,7 +3147,7 @@ int gsi_dealloc_channel(unsigned long chan_hdl)
 	}
 	devm_kfree(gsi_ctx->dev, ctx->user_data);
 	ctx->allocated = false;
-	if (ctx->evtr)
+	if (ctx->evtr && (ctx->props.prot != GSI_CHAN_PROT_GCI))
 		atomic_dec(&ctx->evtr->chan_ref_cnt);
 	atomic_dec(&gsi_ctx->num_chan);