diff --git a/net/rds/message.c b/net/rds/message.c
index 49bfb51..4318cc9 100644
--- a/net/rds/message.c
+++ b/net/rds/message.c
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@
 
 void rds_message_addref(struct rds_message *rm)
 {
-	rdsdebug("addref rm %p ref %d\n", rm, atomic_read(&rm->m_refcount));
-	atomic_inc(&rm->m_refcount);
+	rdsdebug("addref rm %p ref %d\n", rm, refcount_read(&rm->m_refcount));
+	refcount_inc(&rm->m_refcount);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(rds_message_addref);
 
@@ -83,9 +83,9 @@
 
 void rds_message_put(struct rds_message *rm)
 {
-	rdsdebug("put rm %p ref %d\n", rm, atomic_read(&rm->m_refcount));
-	WARN(!atomic_read(&rm->m_refcount), "danger refcount zero on %p\n", rm);
-	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&rm->m_refcount)) {
+	rdsdebug("put rm %p ref %d\n", rm, refcount_read(&rm->m_refcount));
+	WARN(!refcount_read(&rm->m_refcount), "danger refcount zero on %p\n", rm);
+	if (refcount_dec_and_test(&rm->m_refcount)) {
 		BUG_ON(!list_empty(&rm->m_sock_item));
 		BUG_ON(!list_empty(&rm->m_conn_item));
 		rds_message_purge(rm);
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@
 	rm->m_used_sgs = 0;
 	rm->m_total_sgs = extra_len / sizeof(struct scatterlist);
 
-	atomic_set(&rm->m_refcount, 1);
+	refcount_set(&rm->m_refcount, 1);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&rm->m_sock_item);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&rm->m_conn_item);
 	spin_lock_init(&rm->m_rs_lock);
diff --git a/net/rds/rds.h b/net/rds/rds.h
index ea72d6e..516bcc8 100644
--- a/net/rds/rds.h
+++ b/net/rds/rds.h
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@
 #define RDS_MSG_FLUSH		8
 
 struct rds_message {
-	atomic_t		m_refcount;
+	refcount_t		m_refcount;
 	struct list_head	m_sock_item;
 	struct list_head	m_conn_item;
 	struct rds_incoming	m_inc;