diff --git a/sys/geom/raid3/g_raid3.c b/sys/geom/raid3/g_raid3.c
index 79bfd690a35e..0d4ecb704aa5 100644
--- a/sys/geom/raid3/g_raid3.c
+++ b/sys/geom/raid3/g_raid3.c
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ static int g_raid3_destroy_geom(struct gctl_req *req, struct g_class *mp,
 static g_taste_t g_raid3_taste;
 static void g_raid3_init(struct g_class *mp);
 static void g_raid3_fini(struct g_class *mp);
+static void g_raid3_providergone(struct g_provider *pp);
 
 struct g_class g_raid3_class = {
 	.name = G_RAID3_CLASS_NAME,
@@ -112,7 +113,8 @@ struct g_class g_raid3_class = {
 	.taste = g_raid3_taste,
 	.destroy_geom = g_raid3_destroy_geom,
 	.init = g_raid3_init,
-	.fini = g_raid3_fini
+	.fini = g_raid3_fini,
+	.providergone = g_raid3_providergone,
 };
 
 static void g_raid3_destroy_provider(struct g_raid3_softc *sc);
@@ -605,6 +607,34 @@ g_raid3_destroy_disk(struct g_raid3_disk *disk)
 	disk->d_state = G_RAID3_DISK_STATE_NODISK;
 }
 
+static void
+g_raid3_free_device(struct g_raid3_softc *sc)
+{
+	KASSERT(sc->sc_refcnt == 0,
+	    ("%s: non-zero refcount %u", __func__, sc->sc_refcnt));
+
+	if (!g_raid3_use_malloc) {
+		uma_zdestroy(sc->sc_zones[G_RAID3_ZONE_64K].sz_zone);
+		uma_zdestroy(sc->sc_zones[G_RAID3_ZONE_16K].sz_zone);
+		uma_zdestroy(sc->sc_zones[G_RAID3_ZONE_4K].sz_zone);
+	}
+	mtx_destroy(&sc->sc_queue_mtx);
+	mtx_destroy(&sc->sc_events_mtx);
+	sx_xunlock(&sc->sc_lock);
+	sx_destroy(&sc->sc_lock);
+	free(sc->sc_disks, M_RAID3);
+	free(sc, M_RAID3);
+}
+
+static void
+g_raid3_providergone(struct g_provider *pp)
+{
+	struct g_raid3_softc *sc = pp->private;
+
+	if (--sc->sc_refcnt == 0)
+		g_raid3_free_device(sc);
+}
+
 static void
 g_raid3_destroy_device(struct g_raid3_softc *sc)
 {
@@ -649,16 +679,9 @@ g_raid3_destroy_device(struct g_raid3_softc *sc)
 	g_wither_geom(sc->sc_sync.ds_geom, ENXIO);
 	G_RAID3_DEBUG(0, "Device %s destroyed.", gp->name);
 	g_wither_geom(gp, ENXIO);
+	if (--sc->sc_refcnt == 0)
+		g_raid3_free_device(sc);
 	g_topology_unlock();
-	if (!g_raid3_use_malloc) {
-		uma_zdestroy(sc->sc_zones[G_RAID3_ZONE_64K].sz_zone);
-		uma_zdestroy(sc->sc_zones[G_RAID3_ZONE_16K].sz_zone);
-		uma_zdestroy(sc->sc_zones[G_RAID3_ZONE_4K].sz_zone);
-	}
-	mtx_destroy(&sc->sc_queue_mtx);
-	mtx_destroy(&sc->sc_events_mtx);
-	sx_xunlock(&sc->sc_lock);
-	sx_destroy(&sc->sc_lock);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1049,7 +1072,7 @@ g_raid3_scatter(struct bio *pbp)
 	off_t atom, cadd, padd, left;
 	int first;
 
-	sc = pbp->bio_to->geom->softc;
+	sc = pbp->bio_to->private;
 	bp = NULL;
 	if ((pbp->bio_pflags & G_RAID3_BIO_PFLAG_NOPARITY) == 0) {
 		/*
@@ -1118,7 +1141,7 @@ g_raid3_gather(struct bio *pbp)
 	struct bio *xbp, *fbp, *cbp;
 	off_t atom, cadd, padd, left;
 
-	sc = pbp->bio_to->geom->softc;
+	sc = pbp->bio_to->private;
 	/*
 	 * Find bio for which we have to calculate data.
 	 * While going through this path, check if all requests
@@ -1284,7 +1307,7 @@ g_raid3_regular_request(struct bio *cbp)
 	g_topology_assert_not();
 
 	pbp = cbp->bio_parent;
-	sc = pbp->bio_to->geom->softc;
+	sc = pbp->bio_to->private;
 	cbp->bio_from->index--;
 	if (cbp->bio_cmd == BIO_WRITE)
 		sc->sc_writes--;
@@ -1431,7 +1454,7 @@ g_raid3_start(struct bio *bp)
 {
 	struct g_raid3_softc *sc;
 
-	sc = bp->bio_to->geom->softc;
+	sc = bp->bio_to->private;
 	/*
 	 * If sc == NULL or there are no valid disks, provider's error
 	 * should be set and g_raid3_start() should not be called at all.
@@ -1780,7 +1803,7 @@ g_raid3_register_request(struct bio *pbp)
 	int round_robin, verify;
 
 	ndisks = 0;
-	sc = pbp->bio_to->geom->softc;
+	sc = pbp->bio_to->private;
 	if ((pbp->bio_cflags & G_RAID3_BIO_CFLAG_REGSYNC) != 0 &&
 	    sc->sc_syncdisk == NULL) {
 		g_io_deliver(pbp, EIO);
@@ -2008,9 +2031,7 @@ g_raid3_try_destroy(struct g_raid3_softc *sc)
 		sc->sc_worker = NULL;
 	} else {
 		g_topology_unlock();
-		g_raid3_destroy_device(sc);
-		free(sc->sc_disks, M_RAID3);
-		free(sc, M_RAID3);
+		g_raid3_free_device(sc);
 	}
 	return (1);
 }
@@ -2344,6 +2365,8 @@ g_raid3_launch_provider(struct g_raid3_softc *sc)
 	}
 	pp->stripesize *= sc->sc_ndisks - 1;
 	pp->stripeoffset *= sc->sc_ndisks - 1;
+	pp->private = sc;
+	sc->sc_refcnt++;
 	sc->sc_provider = pp;
 	g_error_provider(pp, 0);
 	g_topology_unlock();
@@ -3089,9 +3112,7 @@ g_raid3_access(struct g_provider *pp, int acr, int acw, int ace)
 	G_RAID3_DEBUG(2, "Access request for %s: r%dw%de%d.", pp->name, acr,
 	    acw, ace);
 
-	sc = pp->geom->softc;
-	if (sc == NULL && acr <= 0 && acw <= 0 && ace <= 0)
-		return (0);
+	sc = pp->private;
 	KASSERT(sc != NULL, ("NULL softc (provider=%s).", pp->name));
 
 	dcr = pp->acr + acr;
@@ -3160,6 +3181,7 @@ g_raid3_create(struct g_class *mp, const struct g_raid3_metadata *md)
 	sc->sc_idle = 1;
 	sc->sc_last_write = time_uptime;
 	sc->sc_writes = 0;
+	sc->sc_refcnt = 1;
 	for (n = 0; n < sc->sc_ndisks; n++) {
 		sc->sc_disks[n].d_softc = sc;
 		sc->sc_disks[n].d_no = n;
@@ -3215,18 +3237,8 @@ g_raid3_create(struct g_class *mp, const struct g_raid3_metadata *md)
 	if (error != 0) {
 		G_RAID3_DEBUG(1, "Cannot create kernel thread for %s.",
 		    sc->sc_name);
-		if (!g_raid3_use_malloc) {
-			uma_zdestroy(sc->sc_zones[G_RAID3_ZONE_64K].sz_zone);
-			uma_zdestroy(sc->sc_zones[G_RAID3_ZONE_16K].sz_zone);
-			uma_zdestroy(sc->sc_zones[G_RAID3_ZONE_4K].sz_zone);
-		}
-		g_destroy_geom(sc->sc_sync.ds_geom);
-		mtx_destroy(&sc->sc_events_mtx);
-		mtx_destroy(&sc->sc_queue_mtx);
-		sx_destroy(&sc->sc_lock);
 		g_destroy_geom(sc->sc_geom);
-		free(sc->sc_disks, M_RAID3);
-		free(sc, M_RAID3);
+		g_raid3_free_device(sc);
 		return (NULL);
 	}
 
@@ -3252,8 +3264,6 @@ g_raid3_destroy(struct g_raid3_softc *sc, int how)
 	struct g_provider *pp;
 
 	g_topology_assert_not();
-	if (sc == NULL)
-		return (ENXIO);
 	sx_assert(&sc->sc_lock, SX_XLOCKED);
 
 	pp = sc->sc_provider;
@@ -3302,8 +3312,6 @@ g_raid3_destroy(struct g_raid3_softc *sc, int how)
 	G_RAID3_DEBUG(4, "%s: Woken up %p.", __func__, &sc->sc_worker);
 	sx_xlock(&sc->sc_lock);
 	g_raid3_destroy_device(sc);
-	free(sc->sc_disks, M_RAID3);
-	free(sc, M_RAID3);
 	return (0);
 }
 
diff --git a/sys/geom/raid3/g_raid3.h b/sys/geom/raid3/g_raid3.h
index 2b5c897867fd..3eecc02798a9 100644
--- a/sys/geom/raid3/g_raid3.h
+++ b/sys/geom/raid3/g_raid3.h
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ struct g_raid3_softc {
 	int		sc_idle;	/* DIRTY flags removed. */
 	time_t		sc_last_write;
 	u_int		sc_writes;
+	u_int		sc_refcnt;	/* Number of softc references. */
 
 	TAILQ_HEAD(, g_raid3_event) sc_events;
 	struct mtx	sc_events_mtx;