diff --git a/drivers/base/bus.c b/drivers/base/bus.c
index 17e96698410e..03204bfd17af 100644
--- a/drivers/base/bus.c
+++ b/drivers/base/bus.c
@@ -568,6 +568,36 @@ static void bus_remove_attrs(struct bus_type * bus)
 	}
 }
 
+static void klist_devices_get(struct klist_node *n)
+{
+	struct device *dev = container_of(n, struct device, knode_bus);
+
+	get_device(dev);
+}
+
+static void klist_devices_put(struct klist_node *n)
+{
+	struct device *dev = container_of(n, struct device, knode_bus);
+
+	put_device(dev);
+}
+
+static void klist_drivers_get(struct klist_node *n)
+{
+	struct device_driver *drv = container_of(n, struct device_driver,
+						 knode_bus);
+
+	get_driver(drv);
+}
+
+static void klist_drivers_put(struct klist_node *n)
+{
+	struct device_driver *drv = container_of(n, struct device_driver,
+						 knode_bus);
+
+	put_driver(drv);
+}
+
 /**
  *	bus_register - register a bus with the system.
  *	@bus:	bus.
@@ -602,8 +632,8 @@ int bus_register(struct bus_type * bus)
 	if (retval)
 		goto bus_drivers_fail;
 
-	klist_init(&bus->klist_devices);
-	klist_init(&bus->klist_drivers);
+	klist_init(&bus->klist_devices, klist_devices_get, klist_devices_put);
+	klist_init(&bus->klist_drivers, klist_drivers_get, klist_drivers_put);
 	bus_add_attrs(bus);
 
 	pr_debug("bus type '%s' registered\n", bus->name);
diff --git a/drivers/base/core.c b/drivers/base/core.c
index c8a33df00761..6ab73f5c799a 100644
--- a/drivers/base/core.c
+++ b/drivers/base/core.c
@@ -191,6 +191,20 @@ void device_remove_file(struct device * dev, struct device_attribute * attr)
 	}
 }
 
+static void klist_children_get(struct klist_node *n)
+{
+	struct device *dev = container_of(n, struct device, knode_parent);
+
+	get_device(dev);
+}
+
+static void klist_children_put(struct klist_node *n)
+{
+	struct device *dev = container_of(n, struct device, knode_parent);
+
+	put_device(dev);
+}
+
 
 /**
  *	device_initialize - init device structure.
@@ -207,7 +221,8 @@ void device_initialize(struct device *dev)
 {
 	kobj_set_kset_s(dev, devices_subsys);
 	kobject_init(&dev->kobj);
-	klist_init(&dev->klist_children);
+	klist_init(&dev->klist_children, klist_children_get,
+		   klist_children_put);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dev->dma_pools);
 	init_MUTEX(&dev->sem);
 }
diff --git a/drivers/base/driver.c b/drivers/base/driver.c
index 291c5954a3af..ef3fe513e398 100644
--- a/drivers/base/driver.c
+++ b/drivers/base/driver.c
@@ -142,6 +142,19 @@ void put_driver(struct device_driver * drv)
 	kobject_put(&drv->kobj);
 }
 
+static void klist_devices_get(struct klist_node *n)
+{
+	struct device *dev = container_of(n, struct device, knode_driver);
+
+	get_device(dev);
+}
+
+static void klist_devices_put(struct klist_node *n)
+{
+	struct device *dev = container_of(n, struct device, knode_driver);
+
+	put_device(dev);
+}
 
 /**
  *	driver_register - register driver with bus
@@ -157,7 +170,7 @@ void put_driver(struct device_driver * drv)
  */
 int driver_register(struct device_driver * drv)
 {
-	klist_init(&drv->klist_devices);
+	klist_init(&drv->klist_devices, klist_devices_get, klist_devices_put);
 	init_completion(&drv->unloaded);
 	return bus_add_driver(drv);
 }
diff --git a/include/linux/klist.h b/include/linux/klist.h
index c4d1fae4dd89..74071254c9d3 100644
--- a/include/linux/klist.h
+++ b/include/linux/klist.h
@@ -17,15 +17,17 @@
 #include <linux/kref.h>
 #include <linux/list.h>
 
-
+struct klist_node;
 struct klist {
 	spinlock_t		k_lock;
 	struct list_head	k_list;
+	void			(*get)(struct klist_node *);
+	void			(*put)(struct klist_node *);
 };
 
 
-extern void klist_init(struct klist * k);
-
+extern void klist_init(struct klist * k, void (*get)(struct klist_node *),
+		       void (*put)(struct klist_node *));
 
 struct klist_node {
 	struct klist		* n_klist;
diff --git a/lib/klist.c b/lib/klist.c
index a70c836c5c4c..bb2f3551d50a 100644
--- a/lib/klist.c
+++ b/lib/klist.c
@@ -42,12 +42,23 @@
 /**
  *	klist_init - Initialize a klist structure. 
  *	@k:	The klist we're initializing.
+ *	@get:	The get function for the embedding object (NULL if none)
+ *	@put:	The put function for the embedding object (NULL if none)
+ *
+ * Initialises the klist structure.  If the klist_node structures are
+ * going to be embedded in refcounted objects (necessary for safe
+ * deletion) then the get/put arguments are used to initialise
+ * functions that take and release references on the embedding
+ * objects.
  */
 
-void klist_init(struct klist * k)
+void klist_init(struct klist * k, void (*get)(struct klist_node *),
+		void (*put)(struct klist_node *))
 {
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&k->k_list);
 	spin_lock_init(&k->k_lock);
+	k->get = get;
+	k->put = put;
 }
 
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(klist_init);
@@ -74,6 +85,8 @@ static void klist_node_init(struct klist * k, struct klist_node * n)
 	init_completion(&n->n_removed);
 	kref_init(&n->n_ref);
 	n->n_klist = k;
+	if (k->get)
+		k->get(n);
 }
 
 
@@ -110,9 +123,12 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(klist_add_tail);
 static void klist_release(struct kref * kref)
 {
 	struct klist_node * n = container_of(kref, struct klist_node, n_ref);
+	void (*put)(struct klist_node *) = n->n_klist->put;
 	list_del(&n->n_node);
 	complete(&n->n_removed);
 	n->n_klist = NULL;
+	if (put)
+		put(n);
 }
 
 static int klist_dec_and_del(struct klist_node * n)