#include <linux/init.h>
 #include <linux/jiffies.h>
 #include <linux/list.h>
+#include <linux/kref.h>
 #include <linux/netdevice.h>
 #include <linux/pkt_sched.h>
 #include <linux/printk.h>
                neigh_addr = tmp_neigh_node->addr;
                if (batadv_compare_eth(neigh_addr, ethhdr->h_source) &&
                    tmp_neigh_node->if_incoming == if_incoming &&
-                   atomic_inc_not_zero(&tmp_neigh_node->refcount)) {
+                   kref_get_unless_zero(&tmp_neigh_node->refcount)) {
                        if (WARN(neigh_node, "too many matching neigh_nodes"))
                                batadv_neigh_node_free_ref(neigh_node);
                        neigh_node = tmp_neigh_node;
                if (tmp_neigh_node->if_incoming != if_incoming)
                        continue;
 
-               if (!atomic_inc_not_zero(&tmp_neigh_node->refcount))
+               if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&tmp_neigh_node->refcount))
                        continue;
 
                neigh_node = tmp_neigh_node;
 
 /**
  * batadv_neigh_node_release - release neigh_node from lists and queue for
  *  free after rcu grace period
- * @neigh_node: neigh neighbor to free
+ * @ref: kref pointer of the neigh_node
  */
-static void batadv_neigh_node_release(struct batadv_neigh_node *neigh_node)
+static void batadv_neigh_node_release(struct kref *ref)
 {
        struct hlist_node *node_tmp;
+       struct batadv_neigh_node *neigh_node;
        struct batadv_hardif_neigh_node *hardif_neigh;
        struct batadv_neigh_ifinfo *neigh_ifinfo;
        struct batadv_algo_ops *bao;
 
+       neigh_node = container_of(ref, struct batadv_neigh_node, refcount);
        bao = neigh_node->orig_node->bat_priv->bat_algo_ops;
 
        hlist_for_each_entry_safe(neigh_ifinfo, node_tmp,
 }
 
 /**
- * batadv_neigh_node_free_ref - decrement the neighbors refcounter
- *  and possibly release it
+ * batadv_neigh_node_free_ref - decrement the neighbors refcounter and possibly
+ *  release it
  * @neigh_node: neigh neighbor to free
  */
 void batadv_neigh_node_free_ref(struct batadv_neigh_node *neigh_node)
 {
-       if (atomic_dec_and_test(&neigh_node->refcount))
-               batadv_neigh_node_release(neigh_node);
+       kref_put(&neigh_node->refcount, batadv_neigh_node_release);
 }
 
 /**
                break;
        }
 
-       if (router && !atomic_inc_not_zero(&router->refcount))
+       if (router && !kref_get_unless_zero(&router->refcount))
                router = NULL;
 
        rcu_read_unlock();
                if (tmp_neigh_node->if_incoming != hard_iface)
                        continue;
 
-               if (!atomic_inc_not_zero(&tmp_neigh_node->refcount))
+               if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&tmp_neigh_node->refcount))
                        continue;
 
                res = tmp_neigh_node;
        neigh_node->orig_node = orig_node;
 
        /* extra reference for return */
-       atomic_set(&neigh_node->refcount, 2);
+       kref_init(&neigh_node->refcount);
+       kref_get(&neigh_node->refcount);
 
        spin_lock_bh(&orig_node->neigh_list_lock);
        hlist_add_head_rcu(&neigh_node->list, &orig_node->neigh_list);
                                                best, if_outgoing) <= 0))
                        continue;
 
-               if (!atomic_inc_not_zero(&neigh->refcount))
+               if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&neigh->refcount))
                        continue;
 
                if (best)
 
 
        rcu_read_lock();
        curr_router = rcu_dereference(orig_ifinfo->router);
-       if (curr_router && !atomic_inc_not_zero(&curr_router->refcount))
+       if (curr_router && !kref_get_unless_zero(&curr_router->refcount))
                curr_router = NULL;
        rcu_read_unlock();
 
                batadv_neigh_node_free_ref(curr_router);
 
        /* increase refcount of new best neighbor */
-       if (neigh_node && !atomic_inc_not_zero(&neigh_node->refcount))
+       if (neigh_node && !kref_get_unless_zero(&neigh_node->refcount))
                neigh_node = NULL;
 
        spin_lock_bh(&orig_node->neigh_list_lock);
                if (!cand_router)
                        goto next;
 
-               if (!atomic_inc_not_zero(&cand_router->refcount)) {
+               if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&cand_router->refcount)) {
                        cand_router = NULL;
                        goto next;
                }
 
                /* mark the first possible candidate */
                if (!first_candidate) {
-                       atomic_inc(&cand_router->refcount);
+                       kref_get(&cand_router->refcount);
                        kref_get(&cand->refcount);
                        first_candidate = cand;
                        first_candidate_router = cand_router;