struct batadv_orig_node *orig_node,
                        struct batadv_orig_node *orig_neigh)
 {
-       struct batadv_priv *bat_priv = netdev_priv(hard_iface->soft_iface);
-       struct batadv_neigh_node *neigh_node, *tmp_neigh_node;
+       struct batadv_neigh_node *neigh_node;
 
        neigh_node = batadv_neigh_node_new(hard_iface, neigh_addr, orig_node);
        if (!neigh_node)
 
        neigh_node->orig_node = orig_neigh;
 
-       spin_lock_bh(&orig_node->neigh_list_lock);
-       tmp_neigh_node = batadv_neigh_node_get(orig_node, hard_iface,
-                                              neigh_addr);
-       if (!tmp_neigh_node) {
-               hlist_add_head_rcu(&neigh_node->list, &orig_node->neigh_list);
-       } else {
-               kfree(neigh_node);
-               batadv_hardif_free_ref(hard_iface);
-               neigh_node = tmp_neigh_node;
-       }
-       spin_unlock_bh(&orig_node->neigh_list_lock);
-
-       if (!tmp_neigh_node)
-               batadv_dbg(BATADV_DBG_BATMAN, bat_priv,
-                          "Creating new neighbor %pM for orig_node %pM on interface %s\n",
-                          neigh_addr, orig_node->orig,
-                          hard_iface->net_dev->name);
-
 out:
        return neigh_node;
 }
 
 {
        struct batadv_neigh_node *neigh_node;
 
+       neigh_node = batadv_neigh_node_get(orig_node, hard_iface, neigh_addr);
+       if (neigh_node)
+               goto out;
+
        neigh_node = kzalloc(sizeof(*neigh_node), GFP_ATOMIC);
        if (!neigh_node)
                goto out;
        /* extra reference for return */
        atomic_set(&neigh_node->refcount, 2);
 
+       spin_lock_bh(&orig_node->neigh_list_lock);
+       hlist_add_head_rcu(&neigh_node->list, &orig_node->neigh_list);
+       spin_unlock_bh(&orig_node->neigh_list_lock);
+
+       batadv_dbg(BATADV_DBG_BATMAN, orig_node->bat_priv,
+                  "Creating new neighbor %pM for orig_node %pM on interface %s\n",
+                  neigh_addr, orig_node->orig, hard_iface->net_dev->name);
+
 out:
        return neigh_node;
 }