diff --git a/drivers/regulator/core.c b/drivers/regulator/core.c
index f43c668e1630..eb083b26ab4f 100644
--- a/drivers/regulator/core.c
+++ b/drivers/regulator/core.c
@@ -4928,6 +4928,7 @@ static void regulator_dev_release(struct device *dev)
 {
 	struct regulator_dev *rdev = dev_get_drvdata(dev);
 
+	debugfs_remove_recursive(rdev->debugfs);
 	kfree(rdev->constraints);
 	of_node_put(rdev->dev.of_node);
 	kfree(rdev);
@@ -5438,7 +5439,6 @@ void regulator_unregister(struct regulator_dev *rdev)
 
 	mutex_lock(&regulator_list_mutex);
 
-	debugfs_remove_recursive(rdev->debugfs);
 	WARN_ON(rdev->open_count);
 	regulator_remove_coupling(rdev);
 	unset_regulator_supplies(rdev);