diff --git a/net/qrtr/qrtr.c b/net/qrtr/qrtr.c
index 90c558f89d46..20cebd3179ae 100644
--- a/net/qrtr/qrtr.c
+++ b/net/qrtr/qrtr.c
@@ -190,11 +190,11 @@ static void __qrtr_node_release(struct kref *kref)
 }
 
 /* Increment reference to node. */
-static struct qrtr_node *qrtr_node_acquire(struct qrtr_node *node)
+static int qrtr_node_acquire(struct qrtr_node *node)
 {
 	if (node)
-		kref_get(&node->ref);
-	return node;
+		return kref_get_unless_zero(&node->ref);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 /* Decrement reference to node and release as necessary. */
@@ -380,12 +380,15 @@ static int qrtr_node_enqueue(struct qrtr_node *node, struct sk_buff *skb,
  */
 static struct qrtr_node *qrtr_node_lookup(unsigned int nid)
 {
+	int ret = 0;
 	struct qrtr_node *node;
 	unsigned long flags;
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&qrtr_nodes_lock, flags);
 	node = radix_tree_lookup(&qrtr_nodes, nid);
-	node = qrtr_node_acquire(node);
+	ret = qrtr_node_acquire(node);
+	if(!ret)
+		node = NULL;
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&qrtr_nodes_lock, flags);
 
 	return node;