diff --git a/dlls/dinput/joystick.c b/dlls/dinput/joystick.c
index a19cf27576f..6e7e7ef950f 100644
--- a/dlls/dinput/joystick.c
+++ b/dlls/dinput/joystick.c
@@ -31,6 +31,40 @@
 
 WINE_DEFAULT_DEBUG_CHANNEL(dinput);
 
+/******************************************************************************
+  *     Acquire : gets exclusive control of the joystick
+  */
+HRESULT WINAPI JoystickAGenericImpl_Acquire(LPDIRECTINPUTDEVICE8A iface)
+{
+    JoystickGenericImpl *This = (JoystickGenericImpl *)iface;
+
+    TRACE("(%p)\n",This);
+
+    if (This->base.acquired) {
+        WARN("already acquired\n");
+        return S_FALSE;
+    }
+
+    This->base.acquired = 1;
+
+    return DI_OK;
+}
+
+/******************************************************************************
+  *     Unacquire : frees the joystick
+  */
+HRESULT WINAPI JoystickAGenericImpl_Unacquire(LPDIRECTINPUTDEVICE8A iface)
+{
+    JoystickGenericImpl *This = (JoystickGenericImpl *)iface;
+    HRESULT res;
+
+    TRACE("(%p)\n",This);
+
+    if ((res = IDirectInputDevice2AImpl_Unacquire(iface)) != DI_OK) return res;
+
+    return DI_OK;
+}
+
 /******************************************************************************
   *     SetProperty : change input device properties
   */
diff --git a/dlls/dinput/joystick_linux.c b/dlls/dinput/joystick_linux.c
index 67ec02b2553..afabebe2903 100644
--- a/dlls/dinput/joystick_linux.c
+++ b/dlls/dinput/joystick_linux.c
@@ -605,13 +605,13 @@ const struct dinput_device joystick_linux_device = {
 static HRESULT WINAPI JoystickLinuxAImpl_Acquire(LPDIRECTINPUTDEVICE8A iface)
 {
     JoystickImpl *This = (JoystickImpl *)iface;
+    HRESULT res;
 
     TRACE("(%p)\n",This);
 
-    if (This->generic.base.acquired) {
-        WARN("already acquired\n");
-        return S_FALSE;
-    }
+    res = JoystickAGenericImpl_Acquire(iface);
+    if (res != DI_OK)
+        return res;
 
     /* open the joystick device */
     if (This->joyfd==-1) {
@@ -620,12 +620,11 @@ static HRESULT WINAPI JoystickLinuxAImpl_Acquire(LPDIRECTINPUTDEVICE8A iface)
         This->joyfd=open(This->dev,O_RDONLY);
         if (This->joyfd==-1) {
             ERR("open(%s) failed: %s\n", This->dev, strerror(errno));
+            JoystickAGenericImpl_Unacquire(iface);
             return DIERR_NOTFOUND;
         }
     }
 
-    This->generic.base.acquired = 1;
-
     return DI_OK;
 }
 
@@ -639,7 +638,10 @@ static HRESULT WINAPI JoystickLinuxAImpl_Unacquire(LPDIRECTINPUTDEVICE8A iface)
 
     TRACE("(%p)\n",This);
 
-    if ((res = IDirectInputDevice2AImpl_Unacquire(iface)) != DI_OK) return res;
+    res = JoystickAGenericImpl_Unacquire(iface);
+
+    if (res != DI_OK)
+        return res;
 
     if (This->joyfd!=-1) {
         TRACE("closing joystick device\n");
diff --git a/dlls/dinput/joystick_private.h b/dlls/dinput/joystick_private.h
index e1709e9206d..b61406f7edf 100644
--- a/dlls/dinput/joystick_private.h
+++ b/dlls/dinput/joystick_private.h
@@ -78,4 +78,8 @@ HRESULT WINAPI JoystickAGenericImpl_Poll(LPDIRECTINPUTDEVICE8A iface);
 HRESULT WINAPI JoystickAGenericImpl_GetDeviceState( LPDIRECTINPUTDEVICE8A iface,
     DWORD len, LPVOID ptr);
 
+HRESULT WINAPI JoystickAGenericImpl_Acquire(LPDIRECTINPUTDEVICE8A iface);
+
+HRESULT WINAPI JoystickAGenericImpl_Unacquire(LPDIRECTINPUTDEVICE8A iface);
+
 #endif /* __WINE_DLLS_DINPUT_JOYSTICK_PRIVATE_H */