diff --git a/drivers/staging/batman-adv/hard-interface.c b/drivers/staging/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
index 376ac488bf51..df6e5bd33c2b 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
@@ -401,6 +401,8 @@ static struct batman_if *hardif_add_interface(struct net_device *net_dev)
 	batman_if->soft_iface = NULL;
 	batman_if->if_status = IF_NOT_IN_USE;
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&batman_if->list);
+	atomic_set(&batman_if->refcnt, 0);
+	hardif_hold(batman_if);
 
 	check_known_mac_addr(batman_if->net_dev->dev_addr);
 
@@ -433,8 +435,7 @@ static void hardif_remove_interface(struct batman_if *batman_if)
 	list_del_rcu(&batman_if->list);
 	synchronize_rcu();
 	sysfs_del_hardif(&batman_if->hardif_obj);
-	dev_put(batman_if->net_dev);
-	kfree(batman_if);
+	hardif_put(batman_if);
 }
 
 void hardif_remove_interfaces(void)
diff --git a/drivers/staging/batman-adv/hard-interface.h b/drivers/staging/batman-adv/hard-interface.h
index 4b49527f57ad..d5508899065b 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/batman-adv/hard-interface.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/batman-adv/hard-interface.h
@@ -42,4 +42,17 @@ int batman_skb_recv(struct sk_buff *skb,
 int hardif_min_mtu(struct net_device *soft_iface);
 void update_min_mtu(struct net_device *soft_iface);
 
+static inline void hardif_hold(struct batman_if *batman_if)
+{
+	atomic_inc(&batman_if->refcnt);
+}
+
+static inline void hardif_put(struct batman_if *batman_if)
+{
+	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&batman_if->refcnt)) {
+		dev_put(batman_if->net_dev);
+		kfree(batman_if);
+	}
+}
+
 #endif /* _NET_BATMAN_ADV_HARD_INTERFACE_H_ */
diff --git a/drivers/staging/batman-adv/types.h b/drivers/staging/batman-adv/types.h
index b16264441ea2..bb5827f783a2 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/batman-adv/types.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/batman-adv/types.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ struct batman_if {
 	unsigned char *packet_buff;
 	int packet_len;
 	struct kobject *hardif_obj;
+	atomic_t refcnt;
 	struct packet_type batman_adv_ptype;
 	struct net_device *soft_iface;
 };