if (tmp->if_outgoing != if_outgoing)
                        continue;
 
-               if (!atomic_inc_not_zero(&tmp->refcount))
+               if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&tmp->refcount))
                        continue;
 
                orig_ifinfo = tmp;
        orig_ifinfo->batman_seqno_reset = reset_time;
        orig_ifinfo->if_outgoing = if_outgoing;
        INIT_HLIST_NODE(&orig_ifinfo->list);
-       atomic_set(&orig_ifinfo->refcount, 2);
+       kref_init(&orig_ifinfo->refcount);
+       kref_get(&orig_ifinfo->refcount);
        hlist_add_head_rcu(&orig_ifinfo->list,
                           &orig_node->ifinfo_list);
 out:
 /**
  * batadv_orig_ifinfo_release - release orig_ifinfo from lists and queue for
  *  free after rcu grace period
- * @orig_ifinfo: the orig_ifinfo object to release
+ * @ref: kref pointer of the orig_ifinfo
  */
-static void batadv_orig_ifinfo_release(struct batadv_orig_ifinfo *orig_ifinfo)
+static void batadv_orig_ifinfo_release(struct kref *ref)
 {
+       struct batadv_orig_ifinfo *orig_ifinfo;
        struct batadv_neigh_node *router;
 
+       orig_ifinfo = container_of(ref, struct batadv_orig_ifinfo, refcount);
+
        if (orig_ifinfo->if_outgoing != BATADV_IF_DEFAULT)
                batadv_hardif_free_ref(orig_ifinfo->if_outgoing);
 
  */
 void batadv_orig_ifinfo_free_ref(struct batadv_orig_ifinfo *orig_ifinfo)
 {
-       if (atomic_dec_and_test(&orig_ifinfo->refcount))
-               batadv_orig_ifinfo_release(orig_ifinfo);
+       kref_put(&orig_ifinfo->refcount, batadv_orig_ifinfo_release);
 }
 
 /**
 
 #include <linux/etherdevice.h>
 #include <linux/if_ether.h>
 #include <linux/jiffies.h>
+#include <linux/kref.h>
 #include <linux/netdevice.h>
 #include <linux/printk.h>
 #include <linux/rculist.h>
 
        hlist_for_each_entry_rcu(cand, &orig_node->ifinfo_list, list) {
                /* acquire some structures and references ... */
-               if (!atomic_inc_not_zero(&cand->refcount))
+               if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&cand->refcount))
                        continue;
 
                cand_router = rcu_dereference(cand->router);
                /* mark the first possible candidate */
                if (!first_candidate) {
                        atomic_inc(&cand_router->refcount);
-                       atomic_inc(&cand->refcount);
+                       kref_get(&cand->refcount);
                        first_candidate = cand;
                        first_candidate_router = cand_router;
                }