diff --git a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
index 7e37077ed816..152beaafae1d 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
@@ -76,20 +76,18 @@ int my_skb_head_push(struct sk_buff *skb, unsigned int len)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void softif_neigh_free_ref(struct kref *refcount)
-{
-	struct softif_neigh *softif_neigh;
-
-	softif_neigh = container_of(refcount, struct softif_neigh, refcount);
-	kfree(softif_neigh);
-}
-
 static void softif_neigh_free_rcu(struct rcu_head *rcu)
 {
 	struct softif_neigh *softif_neigh;
 
 	softif_neigh = container_of(rcu, struct softif_neigh, rcu);
-	kref_put(&softif_neigh->refcount, softif_neigh_free_ref);
+	kfree(softif_neigh);
+}
+
+static void softif_neigh_free_ref(struct softif_neigh *softif_neigh)
+{
+	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&softif_neigh->refcount))
+		call_rcu(&softif_neigh->rcu, softif_neigh_free_rcu);
 }
 
 void softif_neigh_purge(struct bat_priv *bat_priv)
@@ -116,11 +114,10 @@ void softif_neigh_purge(struct bat_priv *bat_priv)
 				 softif_neigh->addr, softif_neigh->vid);
 			softif_neigh_tmp = bat_priv->softif_neigh;
 			bat_priv->softif_neigh = NULL;
-			kref_put(&softif_neigh_tmp->refcount,
-				 softif_neigh_free_ref);
+			softif_neigh_free_ref(softif_neigh_tmp);
 		}
 
-		call_rcu(&softif_neigh->rcu, softif_neigh_free_rcu);
+		softif_neigh_free_ref(softif_neigh);
 	}
 
 	spin_unlock_bh(&bat_priv->softif_neigh_lock);
@@ -141,8 +138,11 @@ static struct softif_neigh *softif_neigh_get(struct bat_priv *bat_priv,
 		if (softif_neigh->vid != vid)
 			continue;
 
+		if (!atomic_inc_not_zero(&softif_neigh->refcount))
+			continue;
+
 		softif_neigh->last_seen = jiffies;
-		goto found;
+		goto out;
 	}
 
 	softif_neigh = kzalloc(sizeof(struct softif_neigh), GFP_ATOMIC);
@@ -152,15 +152,14 @@ static struct softif_neigh *softif_neigh_get(struct bat_priv *bat_priv,
 	memcpy(softif_neigh->addr, addr, ETH_ALEN);
 	softif_neigh->vid = vid;
 	softif_neigh->last_seen = jiffies;
-	kref_init(&softif_neigh->refcount);
+	/* initialize with 2 - caller decrements counter by one */
+	atomic_set(&softif_neigh->refcount, 2);
 
 	INIT_HLIST_NODE(&softif_neigh->list);
 	spin_lock_bh(&bat_priv->softif_neigh_lock);
 	hlist_add_head_rcu(&softif_neigh->list, &bat_priv->softif_neigh_list);
 	spin_unlock_bh(&bat_priv->softif_neigh_lock);
 
-found:
-	kref_get(&softif_neigh->refcount);
 out:
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return softif_neigh;
@@ -264,7 +263,7 @@ static void softif_batman_recv(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev,
 			 softif_neigh->addr, softif_neigh->vid);
 		softif_neigh_tmp = bat_priv->softif_neigh;
 		bat_priv->softif_neigh = softif_neigh;
-		kref_put(&softif_neigh_tmp->refcount, softif_neigh_free_ref);
+		softif_neigh_free_ref(softif_neigh_tmp);
 		/* we need to hold the additional reference */
 		goto err;
 	}
@@ -282,7 +281,7 @@ static void softif_batman_recv(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev,
 	}
 
 out:
-	kref_put(&softif_neigh->refcount, softif_neigh_free_ref);
+	softif_neigh_free_ref(softif_neigh);
 err:
 	kfree_skb(skb);
 	return;
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/types.h b/net/batman-adv/types.h
index cfbeb45cd9b3..96f7c224975b 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/types.h
+++ b/net/batman-adv/types.h
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ struct softif_neigh {
 	uint8_t addr[ETH_ALEN];
 	unsigned long last_seen;
 	short vid;
-	struct kref refcount;
+	atomic_t refcount;
 	struct rcu_head rcu;
 };