diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-capture.c b/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-capture.c
index 9a78bb7826a8..c5a645f98c66 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-capture.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-capture.c
@@ -325,20 +325,20 @@ static const struct media_entity_operations vimc_cap_mops = {
 	.link_validate		= vimc_vdev_link_validate,
 };
 
-static void vimc_cap_release(struct video_device *vdev)
+void vimc_cap_release(struct vimc_ent_device *ved)
 {
 	struct vimc_cap_device *vcap =
-		container_of(vdev, struct vimc_cap_device, vdev);
+		container_of(ved, struct vimc_cap_device, ved);
 
 	media_entity_cleanup(vcap->ved.ent);
 	kfree(vcap);
 }
 
-void vimc_cap_rm(struct vimc_device *vimc, struct vimc_ent_device *ved)
+void vimc_cap_unregister(struct vimc_ent_device *ved)
 {
-	struct vimc_cap_device *vcap;
+	struct vimc_cap_device *vcap =
+		container_of(ved, struct vimc_cap_device, ved);
 
-	vcap = container_of(ved, struct vimc_cap_device, ved);
 	vb2_queue_release(&vcap->queue);
 	video_unregister_device(&vcap->vdev);
 }
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ struct vimc_ent_device *vimc_cap_add(struct vimc_device *vimc,
 	vdev = &vcap->vdev;
 	vdev->device_caps = V4L2_CAP_VIDEO_CAPTURE | V4L2_CAP_STREAMING;
 	vdev->entity.ops = &vimc_cap_mops;
-	vdev->release = vimc_cap_release;
+	vdev->release = video_device_release_empty;
 	vdev->fops = &vimc_cap_fops;
 	vdev->ioctl_ops = &vimc_cap_ioctl_ops;
 	vdev->lock = &vcap->lock;
diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-common.c b/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-common.c
index 16ce9f3b7c75..c95c17c048f2 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-common.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-common.c
@@ -327,7 +327,6 @@ int vimc_ent_sd_register(struct vimc_ent_device *ved,
 			 u32 function,
 			 u16 num_pads,
 			 struct media_pad *pads,
-			 const struct v4l2_subdev_internal_ops *sd_int_ops,
 			 const struct v4l2_subdev_ops *sd_ops)
 {
 	int ret;
@@ -337,7 +336,6 @@ int vimc_ent_sd_register(struct vimc_ent_device *ved,
 
 	/* Initialize the subdev */
 	v4l2_subdev_init(sd, sd_ops);
-	sd->internal_ops = sd_int_ops;
 	sd->entity.function = function;
 	sd->entity.ops = &vimc_ent_sd_mops;
 	sd->owner = THIS_MODULE;
diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-common.h b/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-common.h
index 1b6ef7196f3c..99beb2134d40 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-common.h
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-common.h
@@ -125,16 +125,18 @@ struct vimc_device {
  * @name			entity name
  * @ved				pointer to vimc_ent_device (a node in the
  *					topology)
- * @add				subdev add hook - initializes and registers
- *					subdev called from vimc-core
- * @rm				subdev rm hook - unregisters and frees
- *					subdev called from vimc-core
+ * @add				initializes and registers
+ *					vim entity - called from vimc-core
+ * @unregister			unregisters vimc entity - called from vimc-core
+ * @release			releases vimc entity - called from the v4l2_dev
+ *					release callback
  */
 struct vimc_ent_config {
 	const char *name;
 	struct vimc_ent_device *(*add)(struct vimc_device *vimc,
 				       const char *vcfg_name);
-	void (*rm)(struct vimc_device *vimc, struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
+	void (*unregister)(struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
+	void (*release)(struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
 };
 
 /**
@@ -145,22 +147,26 @@ struct vimc_ent_config {
  */
 bool vimc_is_source(struct media_entity *ent);
 
-/* prototypes for vimc_ent_config add and rm hooks */
+/* prototypes for vimc_ent_config hooks */
 struct vimc_ent_device *vimc_cap_add(struct vimc_device *vimc,
 				     const char *vcfg_name);
-void vimc_cap_rm(struct vimc_device *vimc, struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
+void vimc_cap_unregister(struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
+void vimc_cap_release(struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
 
 struct vimc_ent_device *vimc_deb_add(struct vimc_device *vimc,
 				     const char *vcfg_name);
-void vimc_deb_rm(struct vimc_device *vimc, struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
+void vimc_deb_unregister(struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
+void vimc_deb_release(struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
 
 struct vimc_ent_device *vimc_sca_add(struct vimc_device *vimc,
 				     const char *vcfg_name);
-void vimc_sca_rm(struct vimc_device *vimc, struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
+void vimc_sca_unregister(struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
+void vimc_sca_release(struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
 
 struct vimc_ent_device *vimc_sen_add(struct vimc_device *vimc,
 				     const char *vcfg_name);
-void vimc_sen_rm(struct vimc_device *vimc, struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
+void vimc_sen_unregister(struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
+void vimc_sen_release(struct vimc_ent_device *ved);
 
 /**
  * vimc_pix_map_by_index - get vimc_pix_map struct by its index
@@ -195,7 +201,6 @@ const struct vimc_pix_map *vimc_pix_map_by_pixelformat(u32 pixelformat);
  * @num_pads:	number of pads to initialize
  * @pads:	the array of pads of the entity, the caller should set the
 		flags of the pads
- * @sd_int_ops:	pointer to &struct v4l2_subdev_internal_ops
  * @sd_ops:	pointer to &struct v4l2_subdev_ops.
  *
  * Helper function initialize and register the struct vimc_ent_device and struct
@@ -208,7 +213,6 @@ int vimc_ent_sd_register(struct vimc_ent_device *ved,
 			 u32 function,
 			 u16 num_pads,
 			 struct media_pad *pads,
-			 const struct v4l2_subdev_internal_ops *sd_int_ops,
 			 const struct v4l2_subdev_ops *sd_ops);
 
 /**
diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-core.c b/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-core.c
index 1c55e0382f09..9d4e8bc89620 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-core.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-core.c
@@ -48,48 +48,57 @@ static struct vimc_ent_config ent_config[] = {
 	{
 		.name = "Sensor A",
 		.add = vimc_sen_add,
-		.rm = vimc_sen_rm,
+		.unregister = vimc_sen_unregister,
+		.release = vimc_sen_release,
 	},
 	{
 		.name = "Sensor B",
 		.add = vimc_sen_add,
-		.rm = vimc_sen_rm,
+		.unregister = vimc_sen_unregister,
+		.release = vimc_sen_release,
 	},
 	{
 		.name = "Debayer A",
 		.add = vimc_deb_add,
-		.rm = vimc_deb_rm,
+		.unregister = vimc_deb_unregister,
+		.release = vimc_deb_release,
 	},
 	{
 		.name = "Debayer B",
 		.add = vimc_deb_add,
-		.rm = vimc_deb_rm,
+		.unregister = vimc_deb_unregister,
+		.release = vimc_deb_release,
 	},
 	{
 		.name = "Raw Capture 0",
 		.add = vimc_cap_add,
-		.rm = vimc_cap_rm,
+		.unregister = vimc_cap_unregister,
+		.release = vimc_cap_release,
 	},
 	{
 		.name = "Raw Capture 1",
 		.add = vimc_cap_add,
-		.rm = vimc_cap_rm,
+		.unregister = vimc_cap_unregister,
+		.release = vimc_cap_release,
 	},
 	{
 		/* TODO: change this to vimc-input when it is implemented */
 		.name = "RGB/YUV Input",
 		.add = vimc_sen_add,
-		.rm = vimc_sen_rm,
+		.unregister = vimc_sen_unregister,
+		.release = vimc_sen_release,
 	},
 	{
 		.name = "Scaler",
 		.add = vimc_sca_add,
-		.rm = vimc_sca_rm,
+		.unregister = vimc_sca_unregister,
+		.release = vimc_sca_release,
 	},
 	{
 		.name = "RGB/YUV Capture",
 		.add = vimc_cap_add,
-		.rm = vimc_cap_rm,
+		.unregister = vimc_cap_unregister,
+		.release = vimc_cap_release,
 	},
 };
 
@@ -175,13 +184,34 @@ static int vimc_add_subdevs(struct vimc_device *vimc)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void vimc_rm_subdevs(struct vimc_device *vimc)
+static void vimc_release_subdevs(struct vimc_device *vimc)
 {
 	unsigned int i;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < vimc->pipe_cfg->num_ents; i++)
 		if (vimc->ent_devs[i])
-			vimc->pipe_cfg->ents[i].rm(vimc, vimc->ent_devs[i]);
+			vimc->pipe_cfg->ents[i].release(vimc->ent_devs[i]);
+}
+
+
+static void vimc_unregister_subdevs(struct vimc_device *vimc)
+{
+	unsigned int i;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < vimc->pipe_cfg->num_ents; i++)
+		if (vimc->ent_devs[i])
+			vimc->pipe_cfg->ents[i].unregister(vimc->ent_devs[i]);
+}
+
+static void vimc_v4l2_dev_release(struct v4l2_device *v4l2_dev)
+{
+	struct vimc_device *vimc =
+		container_of(v4l2_dev, struct vimc_device, v4l2_dev);
+
+	vimc_release_subdevs(vimc);
+	media_device_cleanup(&vimc->mdev);
+	kfree(vimc->ent_devs);
+	kfree(vimc);
 }
 
 static int vimc_register_devices(struct vimc_device *vimc)
@@ -195,7 +225,6 @@ static int vimc_register_devices(struct vimc_device *vimc)
 			"v4l2 device register failed (err=%d)\n", ret);
 		return ret;
 	}
-
 	/* allocate ent_devs */
 	vimc->ent_devs = kcalloc(vimc->pipe_cfg->num_ents,
 				 sizeof(*vimc->ent_devs), GFP_KERNEL);
@@ -236,9 +265,9 @@ static int vimc_register_devices(struct vimc_device *vimc)
 
 err_mdev_unregister:
 	media_device_unregister(&vimc->mdev);
-	media_device_cleanup(&vimc->mdev);
 err_rm_subdevs:
-	vimc_rm_subdevs(vimc);
+	vimc_unregister_subdevs(vimc);
+	vimc_release_subdevs(vimc);
 	kfree(vimc->ent_devs);
 err_v4l2_unregister:
 	v4l2_device_unregister(&vimc->v4l2_dev);
@@ -248,11 +277,9 @@ static int vimc_register_devices(struct vimc_device *vimc)
 
 static void vimc_unregister(struct vimc_device *vimc)
 {
+	vimc_unregister_subdevs(vimc);
 	media_device_unregister(&vimc->mdev);
-	media_device_cleanup(&vimc->mdev);
 	v4l2_device_unregister(&vimc->v4l2_dev);
-	kfree(vimc->ent_devs);
-	kfree(vimc);
 }
 
 static int vimc_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
@@ -285,7 +312,12 @@ static int vimc_probe(struct platform_device *pdev)
 		kfree(vimc);
 		return ret;
 	}
+	/*
+	 * the release cb is set only after successful registration.
+	 * if the registration fails, we release directly from probe
+	 */
 
+	vimc->v4l2_dev.release = vimc_v4l2_dev_release;
 	platform_set_drvdata(pdev, vimc);
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -296,8 +328,8 @@ static int vimc_remove(struct platform_device *pdev)
 
 	dev_dbg(&pdev->dev, "remove");
 
-	vimc_rm_subdevs(vimc);
 	vimc_unregister(vimc);
+	v4l2_device_put(&vimc->v4l2_dev);
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-debayer.c b/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-debayer.c
index 34b98b235880..3beec7f95b47 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-debayer.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-debayer.c
@@ -494,25 +494,21 @@ static const struct v4l2_ctrl_ops vimc_deb_ctrl_ops = {
 	.s_ctrl = vimc_deb_s_ctrl,
 };
 
-static void vimc_deb_release(struct v4l2_subdev *sd)
+void vimc_deb_release(struct vimc_ent_device *ved)
 {
 	struct vimc_deb_device *vdeb =
-				container_of(sd, struct vimc_deb_device, sd);
+		container_of(ved, struct vimc_deb_device, ved);
 
 	v4l2_ctrl_handler_free(&vdeb->hdl);
 	media_entity_cleanup(vdeb->ved.ent);
 	kfree(vdeb);
 }
 
-static const struct v4l2_subdev_internal_ops vimc_deb_int_ops = {
-	.release = vimc_deb_release,
-};
-
-void vimc_deb_rm(struct vimc_device *vimc, struct vimc_ent_device *ved)
+void vimc_deb_unregister(struct vimc_ent_device *ved)
 {
-	struct vimc_deb_device *vdeb;
+	struct vimc_deb_device *vdeb =
+		container_of(ved, struct vimc_deb_device, ved);
 
-	vdeb = container_of(ved, struct vimc_deb_device, ved);
 	v4l2_device_unregister_subdev(&vdeb->sd);
 }
 
@@ -563,8 +559,7 @@ struct vimc_ent_device *vimc_deb_add(struct vimc_device *vimc,
 	ret = vimc_ent_sd_register(&vdeb->ved, &vdeb->sd, v4l2_dev,
 				   vcfg_name,
 				   MEDIA_ENT_F_PROC_VIDEO_PIXEL_ENC_CONV, 2,
-				   vdeb->pads,
-				   &vimc_deb_int_ops, &vimc_deb_ops);
+				   vdeb->pads, &vimc_deb_ops);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_free_hdl;
 
diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-scaler.c b/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-scaler.c
index cb2dc24c3e59..de9bee504b59 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-scaler.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-scaler.c
@@ -464,24 +464,20 @@ static void *vimc_sca_process_frame(struct vimc_ent_device *ved,
 	return vsca->src_frame;
 };
 
-static void vimc_sca_release(struct v4l2_subdev *sd)
+void vimc_sca_release(struct vimc_ent_device *ved)
 {
 	struct vimc_sca_device *vsca =
-				container_of(sd, struct vimc_sca_device, sd);
+		container_of(ved, struct vimc_sca_device, ved);
 
 	media_entity_cleanup(vsca->ved.ent);
 	kfree(vsca);
 }
 
-static const struct v4l2_subdev_internal_ops vimc_sca_int_ops = {
-	.release = vimc_sca_release,
-};
-
-void vimc_sca_rm(struct vimc_device *vimc, struct vimc_ent_device *ved)
+void vimc_sca_unregister(struct vimc_ent_device *ved)
 {
-	struct vimc_sca_device *vsca;
+	struct vimc_sca_device *vsca =
+		container_of(ved, struct vimc_sca_device, ved);
 
-	vsca = container_of(ved, struct vimc_sca_device, ved);
 	v4l2_device_unregister_subdev(&vsca->sd);
 }
 
@@ -504,8 +500,7 @@ struct vimc_ent_device *vimc_sca_add(struct vimc_device *vimc,
 	ret = vimc_ent_sd_register(&vsca->ved, &vsca->sd, v4l2_dev,
 				   vcfg_name,
 				   MEDIA_ENT_F_PROC_VIDEO_SCALER, 2,
-				   vsca->pads,
-				   &vimc_sca_int_ops, &vimc_sca_ops);
+				   vsca->pads, &vimc_sca_ops);
 	if (ret) {
 		kfree(vsca);
 		return NULL;
diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-sensor.c b/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-sensor.c
index 9788fe291193..14eeaf461e93 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-sensor.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/vimc/vimc-sensor.c
@@ -279,10 +279,10 @@ static const struct v4l2_ctrl_ops vimc_sen_ctrl_ops = {
 	.s_ctrl = vimc_sen_s_ctrl,
 };
 
-static void vimc_sen_release(struct v4l2_subdev *sd)
+void vimc_sen_release(struct vimc_ent_device *ved)
 {
 	struct vimc_sen_device *vsen =
-				container_of(sd, struct vimc_sen_device, sd);
+		container_of(ved, struct vimc_sen_device, ved);
 
 	v4l2_ctrl_handler_free(&vsen->hdl);
 	tpg_free(&vsen->tpg);
@@ -290,15 +290,11 @@ static void vimc_sen_release(struct v4l2_subdev *sd)
 	kfree(vsen);
 }
 
-static const struct v4l2_subdev_internal_ops vimc_sen_int_ops = {
-	.release = vimc_sen_release,
-};
-
-void vimc_sen_rm(struct vimc_device *vimc, struct vimc_ent_device *ved)
+void vimc_sen_unregister(struct vimc_ent_device *ved)
 {
-	struct vimc_sen_device *vsen;
+	struct vimc_sen_device *vsen =
+		container_of(ved, struct vimc_sen_device, ved);
 
-	vsen = container_of(ved, struct vimc_sen_device, ved);
 	v4l2_device_unregister_subdev(&vsen->sd);
 }
 
@@ -365,7 +361,7 @@ struct vimc_ent_device *vimc_sen_add(struct vimc_device *vimc,
 	ret = vimc_ent_sd_register(&vsen->ved, &vsen->sd, v4l2_dev,
 				   vcfg_name,
 				   MEDIA_ENT_F_CAM_SENSOR, 1, &vsen->pad,
-				   &vimc_sen_int_ops, &vimc_sen_ops);
+				   &vimc_sen_ops);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_free_tpg;
 
