diff --git a/drivers/ata/libata-core.c b/drivers/ata/libata-core.c
index 68596bd4cf06..33c2dfbbc02d 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libata-core.c
+++ b/drivers/ata/libata-core.c
@@ -6424,6 +6424,7 @@ void ata_host_init(struct ata_host *host, struct device *dev,
 	host->n_tags = ATA_MAX_QUEUE - 1;
 	host->dev = dev;
 	host->ops = ops;
+	kref_init(&host->kref);
 }
 
 void __ata_port_probe(struct ata_port *ap)
diff --git a/drivers/ata/libata.h b/drivers/ata/libata.h
index 9e21c49cf6be..f953cb4bb1ba 100644
--- a/drivers/ata/libata.h
+++ b/drivers/ata/libata.h
@@ -100,8 +100,6 @@ extern int ata_port_probe(struct ata_port *ap);
 extern void __ata_port_probe(struct ata_port *ap);
 extern unsigned int ata_read_log_page(struct ata_device *dev, u8 log,
 				      u8 page, void *buf, unsigned int sectors);
-extern void ata_host_get(struct ata_host *host);
-extern void ata_host_put(struct ata_host *host);
 
 #define to_ata_port(d) container_of(d, struct ata_port, tdev)
 
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/libsas/sas_ata.c b/drivers/scsi/libsas/sas_ata.c
index ff1d612f6fb9..41cdda7a926b 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/libsas/sas_ata.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/libsas/sas_ata.c
@@ -557,34 +557,46 @@ int sas_ata_init(struct domain_device *found_dev)
 {
 	struct sas_ha_struct *ha = found_dev->port->ha;
 	struct Scsi_Host *shost = ha->core.shost;
+	struct ata_host *ata_host;
 	struct ata_port *ap;
 	int rc;
 
-	ata_host_init(&found_dev->sata_dev.ata_host, ha->dev, &sas_sata_ops);
-	ap = ata_sas_port_alloc(&found_dev->sata_dev.ata_host,
-				&sata_port_info,
-				shost);
+	ata_host = kzalloc(sizeof(*ata_host), GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (!ata_host)	{
+		SAS_DPRINTK("ata host alloc failed.\n");
+		return -ENOMEM;
+	}
+
+	ata_host_init(ata_host, ha->dev, &sas_sata_ops);
+
+	ap = ata_sas_port_alloc(ata_host, &sata_port_info, shost);
 	if (!ap) {
 		SAS_DPRINTK("ata_sas_port_alloc failed.\n");
-		return -ENODEV;
+		rc = -ENODEV;
+		goto free_host;
 	}
 
 	ap->private_data = found_dev;
 	ap->cbl = ATA_CBL_SATA;
 	ap->scsi_host = shost;
 	rc = ata_sas_port_init(ap);
-	if (rc) {
-		ata_sas_port_destroy(ap);
-		return rc;
-	}
-	rc = ata_sas_tport_add(found_dev->sata_dev.ata_host.dev, ap);
-	if (rc) {
-		ata_sas_port_destroy(ap);
-		return rc;
-	}
+	if (rc)
+		goto destroy_port;
+
+	rc = ata_sas_tport_add(ata_host->dev, ap);
+	if (rc)
+		goto destroy_port;
+
+	found_dev->sata_dev.ata_host = ata_host;
 	found_dev->sata_dev.ap = ap;
 
 	return 0;
+
+destroy_port:
+	ata_sas_port_destroy(ap);
+free_host:
+	ata_host_put(ata_host);
+	return rc;
 }
 
 void sas_ata_task_abort(struct sas_task *task)
diff --git a/drivers/scsi/libsas/sas_discover.c b/drivers/scsi/libsas/sas_discover.c
index 1ffca28fe6a8..0148ae62a52a 100644
--- a/drivers/scsi/libsas/sas_discover.c
+++ b/drivers/scsi/libsas/sas_discover.c
@@ -316,6 +316,8 @@ void sas_free_device(struct kref *kref)
 	if (dev_is_sata(dev) && dev->sata_dev.ap) {
 		ata_sas_tport_delete(dev->sata_dev.ap);
 		ata_sas_port_destroy(dev->sata_dev.ap);
+		ata_host_put(dev->sata_dev.ata_host);
+		dev->sata_dev.ata_host = NULL;
 		dev->sata_dev.ap = NULL;
 	}
 
diff --git a/include/linux/libata.h b/include/linux/libata.h
index 0619ebf4d475..852cdb2fc692 100644
--- a/include/linux/libata.h
+++ b/include/linux/libata.h
@@ -1110,6 +1110,8 @@ extern struct ata_host *ata_host_alloc(struct device *dev, int max_ports);
 extern struct ata_host *ata_host_alloc_pinfo(struct device *dev,
 			const struct ata_port_info * const * ppi, int n_ports);
 extern int ata_slave_link_init(struct ata_port *ap);
+extern void ata_host_get(struct ata_host *host);
+extern void ata_host_put(struct ata_host *host);
 extern int ata_host_start(struct ata_host *host);
 extern int ata_host_register(struct ata_host *host,
 			     struct scsi_host_template *sht);
diff --git a/include/scsi/libsas.h b/include/scsi/libsas.h
index 225ab7783dfd..3de3b10da19a 100644
--- a/include/scsi/libsas.h
+++ b/include/scsi/libsas.h
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ struct sata_device {
 	u8     port_no;        /* port number, if this is a PM (Port) */
 
 	struct ata_port *ap;
-	struct ata_host ata_host;
+	struct ata_host *ata_host;
 	struct smp_resp rps_resp ____cacheline_aligned; /* report_phy_sata_resp */
 	u8     fis[ATA_RESP_FIS_SIZE];
 };
