--- x/net/qrtr/af_qrtr.c
+++ y/net/qrtr/af_qrtr.c
@@ -199,7 +199,8 @@ static void __qrtr_node_release(struct k
 static struct qrtr_node *qrtr_node_acquire(struct qrtr_node *node)
 {
 	if (node)
-		kref_get(&node->ref);
+		if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&node->ref))
+			return NULL;
 	return node;
 }