diff --git a/net/batman-adv/bat_iv_ogm.c b/net/batman-adv/bat_iv_ogm.c
index 8c1710bba803..57e9962c7090 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/bat_iv_ogm.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/bat_iv_ogm.c
@@ -987,9 +987,15 @@ static void batadv_iv_ogm_schedule(struct batadv_hard_iface *hard_iface)
 	list_for_each_entry_rcu(tmp_hard_iface, &batadv_hardif_list, list) {
 		if (tmp_hard_iface->soft_iface != hard_iface->soft_iface)
 			continue;
+
+		if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&tmp_hard_iface->refcount))
+			continue;
+
 		batadv_iv_ogm_queue_add(bat_priv, *ogm_buff,
 					*ogm_buff_len, hard_iface,
 					tmp_hard_iface, 1, send_time);
+
+		batadv_hardif_put(tmp_hard_iface);
 	}
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 
@@ -1767,8 +1773,13 @@ static void batadv_iv_ogm_process(const struct sk_buff *skb, int ogm_offset,
 		if (hard_iface->soft_iface != bat_priv->soft_iface)
 			continue;
 
+		if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&hard_iface->refcount))
+			continue;
+
 		batadv_iv_ogm_process_per_outif(skb, ogm_offset, orig_node,
 						if_incoming, hard_iface);
+
+		batadv_hardif_put(hard_iface);
 	}
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/bat_v_ogm.c b/net/batman-adv/bat_v_ogm.c
index 4155fa57cf6d..473ebb9a0e73 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/bat_v_ogm.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/bat_v_ogm.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <linux/if_ether.h>
 #include <linux/jiffies.h>
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
+#include <linux/kref.h>
 #include <linux/list.h>
 #include <linux/netdevice.h>
 #include <linux/random.h>
@@ -176,6 +177,9 @@ static void batadv_v_ogm_send(struct work_struct *work)
 		if (hard_iface->soft_iface != bat_priv->soft_iface)
 			continue;
 
+		if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&hard_iface->refcount))
+			continue;
+
 		batadv_dbg(BATADV_DBG_BATMAN, bat_priv,
 			   "Sending own OGM2 packet (originator %pM, seqno %u, throughput %u, TTL %d) on interface %s [%pM]\n",
 			   ogm_packet->orig, ntohl(ogm_packet->seqno),
@@ -185,10 +189,13 @@ static void batadv_v_ogm_send(struct work_struct *work)
 
 		/* this skb gets consumed by batadv_v_ogm_send_to_if() */
 		skb_tmp = skb_clone(skb, GFP_ATOMIC);
-		if (!skb_tmp)
+		if (!skb_tmp) {
+			batadv_hardif_put(hard_iface);
 			break;
+		}
 
 		batadv_v_ogm_send_to_if(skb_tmp, hard_iface);
+		batadv_hardif_put(hard_iface);
 	}
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 
@@ -704,9 +711,14 @@ static void batadv_v_ogm_process(const struct sk_buff *skb, int ogm_offset,
 		if (hard_iface->soft_iface != bat_priv->soft_iface)
 			continue;
 
+		if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&hard_iface->refcount))
+			continue;
+
 		batadv_v_ogm_process_per_outif(bat_priv, ethhdr, ogm_packet,
 					       orig_node, neigh_node,
 					       if_incoming, hard_iface);
+
+		batadv_hardif_put(hard_iface);
 	}
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 out:
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/originator.c b/net/batman-adv/originator.c
index f885a41d06d5..2ed2cc89a669 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/originator.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/originator.c
@@ -1160,6 +1160,9 @@ static bool batadv_purge_orig_node(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 		if (hard_iface->soft_iface != bat_priv->soft_iface)
 			continue;
 
+		if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&hard_iface->refcount))
+			continue;
+
 		best_neigh_node = batadv_find_best_neighbor(bat_priv,
 							    orig_node,
 							    hard_iface);
@@ -1167,6 +1170,8 @@ static bool batadv_purge_orig_node(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 				    best_neigh_node);
 		if (best_neigh_node)
 			batadv_neigh_node_put(best_neigh_node);
+
+		batadv_hardif_put(hard_iface);
 	}
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/send.c b/net/batman-adv/send.c
index 99ea9001cf8a..f2f125684ed9 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/send.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/send.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <linux/if.h>
 #include <linux/jiffies.h>
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
+#include <linux/kref.h>
 #include <linux/list.h>
 #include <linux/netdevice.h>
 #include <linux/printk.h>
@@ -577,10 +578,15 @@ static void batadv_send_outstanding_bcast_packet(struct work_struct *work)
 		if (forw_packet->num_packets >= hard_iface->num_bcasts)
 			continue;
 
+		if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&hard_iface->refcount))
+			continue;
+
 		/* send a copy of the saved skb */
 		skb1 = skb_clone(forw_packet->skb, GFP_ATOMIC);
 		if (skb1)
 			batadv_send_broadcast_skb(skb1, hard_iface);
+
+		batadv_hardif_put(hard_iface);
 	}
 	rcu_read_unlock();