diff --git a/include/linux/cred.h b/include/linux/cred.h
index f923528d5cc4..92f8d772da6f 100644
--- a/include/linux/cred.h
+++ b/include/linux/cred.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <linux/init.h>
 #include <linux/key.h>
 #include <linux/atomic.h>
+#include <linux/refcount.h>
 #include <linux/uidgid.h>
 #include <linux/sched.h>
 #include <linux/sched/user.h>
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ struct inode;
  * COW Supplementary groups list
  */
 struct group_info {
-	atomic_t	usage;
+	refcount_t	usage;
 	int		ngroups;
 	kgid_t		gid[];
 } __randomize_layout;
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ struct group_info {
  */
 static inline struct group_info *get_group_info(struct group_info *gi)
 {
-	atomic_inc(&gi->usage);
+	refcount_inc(&gi->usage);
 	return gi;
 }
 
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ static inline struct group_info *get_group_info(struct group_info *gi)
  */
 #define put_group_info(group_info)			\
 do {							\
-	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&(group_info)->usage))	\
+	if (refcount_dec_and_test(&(group_info)->usage))	\
 		groups_free(group_info);		\
 } while (0)
 
diff --git a/kernel/cred.c b/kernel/cred.c
index 98cb4eca23fb..4dc0b27b5462 100644
--- a/kernel/cred.c
+++ b/kernel/cred.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ do {									\
 static struct kmem_cache *cred_jar;
 
 /* init to 2 - one for init_task, one to ensure it is never freed */
-static struct group_info init_groups = { .usage = ATOMIC_INIT(2) };
+static struct group_info init_groups = { .usage = REFCOUNT_INIT(2) };
 
 /*
  * The initial credentials for the initial task
diff --git a/kernel/groups.c b/kernel/groups.c
index 9aaed2a31073..9b43da22647d 100644
--- a/kernel/groups.c
+++ b/kernel/groups.c
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ struct group_info *groups_alloc(int gidsetsize)
 	if (!gi)
 		return NULL;
 
-	atomic_set(&gi->usage, 1);
+	refcount_set(&gi->usage, 1);
 	gi->ngroups = gidsetsize;
 	return gi;
 }