diff --git a/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c b/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c
index 67669a76eaf5..70a78587c3c0 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/mtdcore.c
@@ -350,31 +350,34 @@ int add_mtd_device(struct mtd_info *mtd)
 int del_mtd_device (struct mtd_info *mtd)
 {
 	int ret;
+	struct mtd_notifier *not;
 
 	mutex_lock(&mtd_table_mutex);
 
 	if (idr_find(&mtd_idr, mtd->index) != mtd) {
 		ret = -ENODEV;
-	} else if (mtd->usecount) {
+		goto out_error;
+	}
+
+	/* No need to get a refcount on the module containing
+		the notifier, since we hold the mtd_table_mutex */
+	list_for_each_entry(not, &mtd_notifiers, list)
+		not->remove(mtd);
+
+	if (mtd->usecount) {
 		printk(KERN_NOTICE "Removing MTD device #%d (%s) with use count %d\n",
 		       mtd->index, mtd->name, mtd->usecount);
 		ret = -EBUSY;
 	} else {
-		struct mtd_notifier *not;
-
 		device_unregister(&mtd->dev);
 
-		/* No need to get a refcount on the module containing
-		   the notifier, since we hold the mtd_table_mutex */
-		list_for_each_entry(not, &mtd_notifiers, list)
-			not->remove(mtd);
-
 		idr_remove(&mtd_idr, mtd->index);
 
 		module_put(THIS_MODULE);
 		ret = 0;
 	}
 
+out_error:
 	mutex_unlock(&mtd_table_mutex);
 	return ret;
 }