diff --git a/net/bluetooth/hci_conn.c b/net/bluetooth/hci_conn.c
index cccc2b8b60a8..923bb7e7be2b 100644
--- a/net/bluetooth/hci_conn.c
+++ b/net/bluetooth/hci_conn.c
@@ -1909,6 +1909,8 @@ struct hci_conn *hci_bind_cis(struct hci_dev *hdev, bdaddr_t *dst,
 		return ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 	}
 
+	hci_conn_hold(cis);
+
 	cis->iso_qos = *qos;
 	cis->state = BT_BOUND;
 
@@ -2262,6 +2264,9 @@ struct hci_conn *hci_connect_cis(struct hci_dev *hdev, bdaddr_t *dst,
 		return ERR_PTR(-ENOLINK);
 	}
 
+	/* Link takes the refcount */
+	hci_conn_drop(cis);
+
 	cis->state = BT_CONNECT;
 
 	hci_le_create_cis_pending(hdev);
diff --git a/net/bluetooth/iso.c b/net/bluetooth/iso.c
index cbe3299b4a41..358954bfbb32 100644
--- a/net/bluetooth/iso.c
+++ b/net/bluetooth/iso.c
@@ -628,6 +628,7 @@ static void __iso_sock_close(struct sock *sk)
 		iso_sock_cleanup_listen(sk);
 		break;
 
+	case BT_CONNECT:
 	case BT_CONNECTED:
 	case BT_CONFIG:
 		if (iso_pi(sk)->conn->hcon) {
@@ -643,19 +644,6 @@ static void __iso_sock_close(struct sock *sk)
 		break;
 
 	case BT_CONNECT2:
-		iso_chan_del(sk, ECONNRESET);
-		break;
-	case BT_CONNECT:
-		/* In case of DEFER_SETUP the hcon would be bound to CIG which
-		 * needs to be removed so just call hci_conn_del so the cleanup
-		 * callback do what is needed.
-		 */
-		if (test_bit(BT_SK_DEFER_SETUP, &bt_sk(sk)->flags) &&
-		    iso_pi(sk)->conn->hcon) {
-			hci_conn_del(iso_pi(sk)->conn->hcon);
-			iso_pi(sk)->conn->hcon = NULL;
-		}
-
 		iso_chan_del(sk, ECONNRESET);
 		break;
 	case BT_DISCONN: