diff --git a/kernel/perf_counter.c b/kernel/perf_counter.c
index 1ac18daa424f..f27a7e9f3c41 100644
--- a/kernel/perf_counter.c
+++ b/kernel/perf_counter.c
@@ -1934,7 +1934,8 @@ __perf_counter_exit_task(struct task_struct *child,
 		}
 	}
 
-	kfree(child_counter);
+	if (!child_counter->filp || !atomic_long_read(&child_counter->filp->f_count))
+		kfree(child_counter);
 }
 
 /*