diff --git a/include/net/lapb.h b/include/net/lapb.h
index 9510f8725f03..85e773742f4e 100644
--- a/include/net/lapb.h
+++ b/include/net/lapb.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef _LAPB_H
 #define _LAPB_H 
 #include <linux/lapb.h>
+#include <linux/refcount.h>
 
 #define	LAPB_HEADER_LEN	20		/* LAPB over Ethernet + a bit more */
 
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ struct lapb_cb {
 	struct lapb_frame	frmr_data;
 	unsigned char		frmr_type;
 
-	atomic_t		refcnt;
+	refcount_t		refcnt;
 };
 
 /* lapb_iface.c */
diff --git a/net/lapb/lapb_iface.c b/net/lapb/lapb_iface.c
index b50b64ac8815..e15314e3b464 100644
--- a/net/lapb/lapb_iface.c
+++ b/net/lapb/lapb_iface.c
@@ -54,12 +54,12 @@ static void lapb_free_cb(struct lapb_cb *lapb)
 
 static __inline__ void lapb_hold(struct lapb_cb *lapb)
 {
-	atomic_inc(&lapb->refcnt);
+	refcount_inc(&lapb->refcnt);
 }
 
 static __inline__ void lapb_put(struct lapb_cb *lapb)
 {
-	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&lapb->refcnt))
+	if (refcount_dec_and_test(&lapb->refcnt))
 		lapb_free_cb(lapb);
 }
 
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ static struct lapb_cb *lapb_create_cb(void)
 	lapb->mode    = LAPB_DEFAULT_MODE;
 	lapb->window  = LAPB_DEFAULT_WINDOW;
 	lapb->state   = LAPB_STATE_0;
-	atomic_set(&lapb->refcnt, 1);
+	refcount_set(&lapb->refcnt, 1);
 out:
 	return lapb;
 }