diff --git a/net/tipc/node.h b/net/tipc/node.h
index 9629ecd..02d5c20 100644
--- a/net/tipc/node.h
+++ b/net/tipc/node.h
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@
 /**
  * struct tipc_node - TIPC node structure
  * @addr: network address of node
+ * @ref: reference counter to node object
  * @lock: spinlock governing access to structure
  * @net: the applicable net namespace
  * @hash: links to adjacent nodes in unsorted hash chain
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@
  */
 struct tipc_node {
 	u32 addr;
+	struct kref kref;
 	spinlock_t lock;
 	struct net *net;
 	struct hlist_node hash;
@@ -137,6 +139,7 @@
 };
 
 struct tipc_node *tipc_node_find(struct net *net, u32 addr);
+void tipc_node_put(struct tipc_node *node);
 struct tipc_node *tipc_node_create(struct net *net, u32 addr);
 void tipc_node_stop(struct net *net);
 void tipc_node_attach_link(struct tipc_node *n_ptr, struct tipc_link *l_ptr);
@@ -171,10 +174,12 @@
 
 	node = tipc_node_find(net, addr);
 
-	if (likely(node))
+	if (likely(node)) {
 		mtu = node->act_mtus[selector & 1];
-	else
+		tipc_node_put(node);
+	} else {
 		mtu = MAX_MSG_SIZE;
+	}
 
 	return mtu;
 }