diff --git a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
index e508bf5957b3..49e16b6e0ba3 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
@@ -594,6 +594,7 @@ int batadv_softif_create_vlan(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv, unsigned short vid)
 	}
 
 	spin_lock_bh(&bat_priv->softif_vlan_list_lock);
+	kref_get(&vlan->refcount);
 	hlist_add_head_rcu(&vlan->list, &bat_priv->softif_vlan_list);
 	spin_unlock_bh(&bat_priv->softif_vlan_list_lock);
 
@@ -604,6 +605,9 @@ int batadv_softif_create_vlan(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv, unsigned short vid)
 			    bat_priv->soft_iface->dev_addr, vid,
 			    BATADV_NULL_IFINDEX, BATADV_NO_MARK);
 
+	/* don't return reference to new softif_vlan */
+	batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
+
 	return 0;
 }