diff --git a/ipc/util.c b/ipc/util.c
index 6f30ba80ca15..0af05752969f 100644
--- a/ipc/util.c
+++ b/ipc/util.c
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ void ipc_set_key_private(struct ipc_ids *ids, struct kern_ipc_perm *ipcp)
 	ipcp->key = IPC_PRIVATE;
 }
 
-int ipc_rcu_getref(struct kern_ipc_perm *ptr)
+bool ipc_rcu_getref(struct kern_ipc_perm *ptr)
 {
 	return refcount_inc_not_zero(&ptr->refcount);
 }
diff --git a/ipc/util.h b/ipc/util.h
index e74564fe3375..0a159f69b3bb 100644
--- a/ipc/util.h
+++ b/ipc/util.h
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ static inline int ipc_get_maxidx(struct ipc_ids *ids)
  * refcount is initialized by ipc_addid(), before that point call_rcu()
  * must be used.
  */
-int ipc_rcu_getref(struct kern_ipc_perm *ptr);
+bool ipc_rcu_getref(struct kern_ipc_perm *ptr);
 void ipc_rcu_putref(struct kern_ipc_perm *ptr,
 			void (*func)(struct rcu_head *head));