diff --git a/drivers/net/xen-netback/interface.c b/drivers/net/xen-netback/interface.c
index 193b723..c58996c 100644
--- a/drivers/net/xen-netback/interface.c
+++ b/drivers/net/xen-netback/interface.c
@@ -684,6 +684,7 @@
 {
 	if (queue->task) {
 		kthread_stop(queue->task);
+		put_task_struct(queue->task);
 		queue->task = NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -745,6 +746,11 @@
 	if (IS_ERR(task))
 		goto kthread_err;
 	queue->task = task;
+	/*
+	 * Take a reference to the task in order to prevent it from being freed
+	 * if the thread function returns before kthread_stop is called.
+	 */
+	get_task_struct(task);
 
 	task = kthread_run(xenvif_dealloc_kthread, queue,
 			   "%s-dealloc", queue->name);