diff --git a/tools/perf/util/dso.c b/tools/perf/util/dso.c
index d38b62a700ca..42db00d78573 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/dso.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/dso.c
@@ -1109,7 +1109,7 @@ struct dso *dso__new(const char *name)
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dso->node);
 		INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dso->data.open_entry);
 		pthread_mutex_init(&dso->lock, NULL);
-		atomic_set(&dso->refcnt, 1);
+		refcount_set(&dso->refcnt, 1);
 	}
 
 	return dso;
@@ -1147,13 +1147,13 @@ void dso__delete(struct dso *dso)
 struct dso *dso__get(struct dso *dso)
 {
 	if (dso)
-		atomic_inc(&dso->refcnt);
+		refcount_inc(&dso->refcnt);
 	return dso;
 }
 
 void dso__put(struct dso *dso)
 {
-	if (dso && atomic_dec_and_test(&dso->refcnt))
+	if (dso && refcount_dec_and_test(&dso->refcnt))
 		dso__delete(dso);
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/dso.h b/tools/perf/util/dso.h
index ecc4bbd3f82e..12350b171727 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/dso.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/dso.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef __PERF_DSO
 #define __PERF_DSO
 
-#include <linux/atomic.h>
+#include <linux/refcount.h>
 #include <linux/types.h>
 #include <linux/rbtree.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ struct dso {
 		void	 *priv;
 		u64	 db_id;
 	};
-	atomic_t	 refcnt;
+	refcount_t	 refcnt;
 	char		 name[0];
 };