diff --git a/drivers/block/nbd.c b/drivers/block/nbd.c
index 8b9622eb0a21..4ff71b579cfc 100644
--- a/drivers/block/nbd.c
+++ b/drivers/block/nbd.c
@@ -78,8 +78,7 @@ struct link_dead_args {
 #define NBD_RT_HAS_PID_FILE		3
 #define NBD_RT_HAS_CONFIG_REF		4
 #define NBD_RT_BOUND			5
-#define NBD_RT_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT	6
-#define NBD_RT_DISCONNECT_ON_CLOSE	7
+#define NBD_RT_DISCONNECT_ON_CLOSE	6
 
 #define NBD_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT	0
 #define NBD_DISCONNECT_REQUESTED	1
@@ -1904,12 +1903,21 @@ again:
 	if (info->attrs[NBD_ATTR_CLIENT_FLAGS]) {
 		u64 flags = nla_get_u64(info->attrs[NBD_ATTR_CLIENT_FLAGS]);
 		if (flags & NBD_CFLAG_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT) {
-			set_bit(NBD_RT_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT,
-				&config->runtime_flags);
-			set_bit(NBD_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT, &nbd->flags);
-			put_dev = true;
+			/*
+			 * We have 1 ref to keep the device around, and then 1
+			 * ref for our current operation here, which will be
+			 * inherited by the config.  If we already have
+			 * DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT set then we know we don't have
+			 * that extra ref already held so we don't need the
+			 * put_dev.
+			 */
+			if (!test_and_set_bit(NBD_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT,
+					      &nbd->flags))
+				put_dev = true;
 		} else {
-			clear_bit(NBD_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT, &nbd->flags);
+			if (test_and_clear_bit(NBD_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT,
+					       &nbd->flags))
+				refcount_inc(&nbd->refs);
 		}
 		if (flags & NBD_CFLAG_DISCONNECT_ON_CLOSE) {
 			set_bit(NBD_RT_DISCONNECT_ON_CLOSE,
@@ -2080,15 +2088,13 @@ static int nbd_genl_reconfigure(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 	if (info->attrs[NBD_ATTR_CLIENT_FLAGS]) {
 		u64 flags = nla_get_u64(info->attrs[NBD_ATTR_CLIENT_FLAGS]);
 		if (flags & NBD_CFLAG_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT) {
-			if (!test_and_set_bit(NBD_RT_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT,
-					      &config->runtime_flags))
+			if (!test_and_set_bit(NBD_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT,
+					      &nbd->flags))
 				put_dev = true;
-			set_bit(NBD_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT, &nbd->flags);
 		} else {
-			if (test_and_clear_bit(NBD_RT_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT,
-					       &config->runtime_flags))
+			if (test_and_clear_bit(NBD_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT,
+					       &nbd->flags))
 				refcount_inc(&nbd->refs);
-			clear_bit(NBD_DESTROY_ON_DISCONNECT, &nbd->flags);
 		}
 
 		if (flags & NBD_CFLAG_DISCONNECT_ON_CLOSE) {