diff --git a/drivers/mmc/core/core.c b/drivers/mmc/core/core.c
index 99f0df9e04913b..9c13f7a5269995 100644
--- a/drivers/mmc/core/core.c
+++ b/drivers/mmc/core/core.c
@@ -1377,63 +1377,13 @@ void mmc_power_cycle(struct mmc_host *host, u32 ocr)
 	mmc_power_up(host, ocr);
 }
 
-/*
- * Cleanup when the last reference to the bus operator is dropped.
- */
-static void __mmc_release_bus(struct mmc_host *host)
-{
-	WARN_ON(!host->bus_dead);
-
-	host->bus_ops = NULL;
-}
-
-/*
- * Increase reference count of bus operator
- */
-static inline void mmc_bus_get(struct mmc_host *host)
-{
-	unsigned long flags;
-
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&host->lock, flags);
-	host->bus_refs++;
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&host->lock, flags);
-}
-
-/*
- * Decrease reference count of bus operator and free it if
- * it is the last reference.
- */
-static inline void mmc_bus_put(struct mmc_host *host)
-{
-	unsigned long flags;
-
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&host->lock, flags);
-	host->bus_refs--;
-	if ((host->bus_refs == 0) && host->bus_ops)
-		__mmc_release_bus(host);
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&host->lock, flags);
-}
-
 /*
  * Assign a mmc bus handler to a host. Only one bus handler may control a
  * host at any given time.
  */
 void mmc_attach_bus(struct mmc_host *host, const struct mmc_bus_ops *ops)
 {
-	unsigned long flags;
-
-	WARN_ON(!host->claimed);
-
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&host->lock, flags);
-
-	WARN_ON(host->bus_ops);
-	WARN_ON(host->bus_refs);
-
 	host->bus_ops = ops;
-	host->bus_refs = 1;
-	host->bus_dead = 0;
-
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&host->lock, flags);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1441,18 +1391,7 @@ void mmc_attach_bus(struct mmc_host *host, const struct mmc_bus_ops *ops)
  */
 void mmc_detach_bus(struct mmc_host *host)
 {
-	unsigned long flags;
-
-	WARN_ON(!host->claimed);
-	WARN_ON(!host->bus_ops);
-
-	spin_lock_irqsave(&host->lock, flags);
-
-	host->bus_dead = 1;
-
-	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&host->lock, flags);
-
-	mmc_bus_put(host);
+	host->bus_ops = NULL;
 }
 
 void _mmc_detect_change(struct mmc_host *host, unsigned long delay, bool cd_irq)
@@ -2244,32 +2183,15 @@ void mmc_rescan(struct work_struct *work)
 		host->trigger_card_event = false;
 	}
 
-	mmc_bus_get(host);
-
 	/* Verify a registered card to be functional, else remove it. */
-	if (host->bus_ops && !host->bus_dead)
+	if (host->bus_ops)
 		host->bus_ops->detect(host);
 
 	host->detect_change = 0;
 
-	/*
-	 * Let mmc_bus_put() free the bus/bus_ops if we've found that
-	 * the card is no longer present.
-	 */
-	mmc_bus_put(host);
-	mmc_bus_get(host);
-
 	/* if there still is a card present, stop here */
-	if (host->bus_ops != NULL) {
-		mmc_bus_put(host);
+	if (host->bus_ops != NULL)
 		goto out;
-	}
-
-	/*
-	 * Only we can add a new handler, so it's safe to
-	 * release the lock here.
-	 */
-	mmc_bus_put(host);
 
 	mmc_claim_host(host);
 	if (mmc_card_is_removable(host) && host->ops->get_cd &&
@@ -2332,18 +2254,15 @@ void mmc_stop_host(struct mmc_host *host)
 	/* clear pm flags now and let card drivers set them as needed */
 	host->pm_flags = 0;
 
-	mmc_bus_get(host);
-	if (host->bus_ops && !host->bus_dead) {
+	if (host->bus_ops) {
 		/* Calling bus_ops->remove() with a claimed host can deadlock */
 		host->bus_ops->remove(host);
 		mmc_claim_host(host);
 		mmc_detach_bus(host);
 		mmc_power_off(host);
 		mmc_release_host(host);
-		mmc_bus_put(host);
 		return;
 	}
-	mmc_bus_put(host);
 
 	mmc_claim_host(host);
 	mmc_power_off(host);
diff --git a/include/linux/mmc/host.h b/include/linux/mmc/host.h
index 26a3c7bc29ae57..a001ad2f5f23e3 100644
--- a/include/linux/mmc/host.h
+++ b/include/linux/mmc/host.h
@@ -423,7 +423,6 @@ struct mmc_host {
 	/* group bitfields together to minimize padding */
 	unsigned int		use_spi_crc:1;
 	unsigned int		claimed:1;	/* host exclusively claimed */
-	unsigned int		bus_dead:1;	/* bus has been released */
 	unsigned int		doing_init_tune:1; /* initial tuning in progress */
 	unsigned int		can_retune:1;	/* re-tuning can be used */
 	unsigned int		doing_retune:1;	/* re-tuning in progress */
@@ -454,7 +453,6 @@ struct mmc_host {
 	struct mmc_slot		slot;
 
 	const struct mmc_bus_ops *bus_ops;	/* current bus driver */
-	unsigned int		bus_refs;	/* reference counter */
 
 	unsigned int		sdio_irqs;
 	struct task_struct	*sdio_irq_thread;