diff --git a/drivers/misc/mei/client.c b/drivers/misc/mei/client.c
index aa1d35a51e9f..98335b435b75 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/mei/client.c
+++ b/drivers/misc/mei/client.c
@@ -749,10 +749,31 @@ void mei_cl_set_disconnected(struct mei_cl *cl)
 	cl->mei_flow_ctrl_creds = 0;
 	cl->timer_count = 0;
 
+	if (!cl->me_cl)
+		return;
+
+	if (!WARN_ON(cl->me_cl->connect_count == 0))
+		cl->me_cl->connect_count--;
+
+	if (cl->me_cl->connect_count == 0)
+		cl->me_cl->mei_flow_ctrl_creds = 0;
+
 	mei_me_cl_put(cl->me_cl);
 	cl->me_cl = NULL;
 }
 
+static int mei_cl_set_connecting(struct mei_cl *cl, struct mei_me_client *me_cl)
+{
+	cl->me_cl = mei_me_cl_get(me_cl);
+	if (!cl->me_cl)
+		return -ENOENT;
+
+	cl->state = MEI_FILE_CONNECTING;
+	cl->me_cl->connect_count++;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /*
  * mei_cl_send_disconnect - send disconnect request
  *
@@ -1009,13 +1030,9 @@ int mei_cl_connect(struct mei_cl *cl, struct mei_me_client *me_cl,
 	if (rets)
 		goto out;
 
-	cl->me_cl = mei_me_cl_get(me_cl);
-	if (!cl->me_cl) {
-		rets = -ENODEV;
+	rets = mei_cl_set_connecting(cl, me_cl);
+	if (rets)
 		goto out;
-	}
-
-	cl->state = MEI_FILE_CONNECTING;
 	list_add_tail(&cb->list, &dev->ctrl_wr_list.list);
 
 	/* run hbuf acquire last so we don't have to undo */
diff --git a/drivers/misc/mei/mei_dev.h b/drivers/misc/mei/mei_dev.h
index 87db0976671c..96c0290da5fb 100644
--- a/drivers/misc/mei/mei_dev.h
+++ b/drivers/misc/mei/mei_dev.h
@@ -177,6 +177,8 @@ struct mei_fw_status {
  * @props: client properties
  * @client_id: me client id
  * @mei_flow_ctrl_creds: flow control credits
+ * @connect_count: number connections to this client
+ * @reserved: reserved
  */
 struct mei_me_client {
 	struct list_head list;
@@ -184,6 +186,8 @@ struct mei_me_client {
 	struct mei_client_properties props;
 	u8 client_id;
 	u8 mei_flow_ctrl_creds;
+	u8 connect_count;
+	u8 reserved;
 };