diff --git a/net/tipc/topsrv.c b/net/tipc/topsrv.c
index 532343c7788a..88e8e8d69b60 100644
--- a/net/tipc/topsrv.c
+++ b/net/tipc/topsrv.c
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ static struct tipc_conn *tipc_conn_alloc(struct tipc_topsrv *s, struct socket *s
 	set_bit(CF_CONNECTED, &con->flags);
 	con->server = s;
 	con->sock = sock;
+	conn_get(con);
 	spin_unlock_bh(&s->idr_lock);
 
 	return con;
@@ -484,6 +485,7 @@ static void tipc_topsrv_accept(struct work_struct *work)
 
 		/* Wake up receive process in case of 'SYN+' message */
 		newsk->sk_data_ready(newsk);
+		conn_put(con);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -583,10 +585,11 @@ bool tipc_topsrv_kern_subscr(struct net *net, u32 port, u32 type, u32 lower,
 
 	*conid = con->conid;
 	rc = tipc_conn_rcv_sub(tipc_topsrv(net), con, &sub);
-	if (rc >= 0)
-		return true;
+	if (rc)
+		conn_put(con);
+
 	conn_put(con);
-	return false;
+	return !rc;
 }
 
 void tipc_topsrv_kern_unsubscr(struct net *net, int conid)