diff --git a/net/can/j1939/transport.c b/net/can/j1939/transport.c
index c3946c3558826a..bb1092c3e7e3e1 100644
--- a/net/can/j1939/transport.c
+++ b/net/can/j1939/transport.c
@@ -1075,11 +1075,16 @@ static bool j1939_session_deactivate_locked(struct j1939_session *session)
 
 static bool j1939_session_deactivate(struct j1939_session *session)
 {
+	struct j1939_priv *priv = session->priv;
 	bool active;
 
-	j1939_session_list_lock(session->priv);
+	j1939_session_list_lock(priv);
+	/* This function should be called with a session ref-count of at
+	 * least 2.
+	 */
+	WARN_ON_ONCE(kref_read(&session->kref) < 2);
 	active = j1939_session_deactivate_locked(session);
-	j1939_session_list_unlock(session->priv);
+	j1939_session_list_unlock(priv);
 
 	return active;
 }