diff --git a/include/linux/dma-fence.h b/include/linux/dma-fence.h
index dd07d128adc3..4d885c8e1d4f 100644
--- a/include/linux/dma-fence.h
+++ b/include/linux/dma-fence.h
@@ -320,8 +320,9 @@ static inline void dma_fence_put(struct dma_fence *fence)
 static inline struct dma_fence *dma_fence_get(struct dma_fence *fence)
 {
 	if (fence)
-		kref_get(&fence->refcount);
-	return fence;
+		if (kref_get_unless_zero(&fence->refcount))
+			return fence;
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/drivers/dma-buf/sw_sync.c b/drivers/dma-buf/sw_sync.c
index 8df20b0218a9..ad60ad5e5cd9 100644
--- a/drivers/dma-buf/sw_sync.c
+++ b/drivers/dma-buf/sw_sync.c
@@ -221,7 +221,8 @@ static void sync_timeline_signal(struct sync_timeline *obj, unsigned int inc)
 		if (!timeline_fence_signaled(&pt->base))
 			break;
 
-		dma_fence_get(&pt->base);
+		if (!dma_fence_get(&pt->base))
+			continue;
 
 		list_move_tail(&pt->link, &signalled);
 		rb_erase(&pt->node, &obj->pt_tree);