diff --git a/net/qrtr/qrtr.c b/net/qrtr/qrtr.c
index 90c558f89d46..60970a64d09b 100644
--- a/net/qrtr/qrtr.c
+++ b/net/qrtr/qrtr.c
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ static void __qrtr_node_release(struct kref *kref)
 static struct qrtr_node *qrtr_node_acquire(struct qrtr_node *node)
 {
 	if (node)
-		kref_get(&node->ref);
+		kref_get_unless_zero(&node->ref);
 	return node;
 }