diff --git a/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c b/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
index 8145014d70d5..5b83cb33bf83 100644
--- a/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
+++ b/fs/nfsd/nfs4state.c
@@ -3099,8 +3099,10 @@ static int client_states_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 		return -ENXIO;
 
 	ret = seq_open(file, &states_seq_ops);
-	if (ret)
+	if (ret) {
+		drop_client(clp);
 		return ret;
+	}
 	s = file->private_data;
 	s->private = clp;
 	return 0;