diff --git a/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.c b/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.c
index fed6becc5daf86..fa789c082c3e5a 100644
--- a/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.c
+++ b/net/l2tp/l2tp_core.c
@@ -169,8 +169,8 @@ struct l2tp_tunnel *l2tp_tunnel_get(const struct net *net, u32 tunnel_id)
 
 	rcu_read_lock_bh();
 	list_for_each_entry_rcu(tunnel, &pn->l2tp_tunnel_list, list) {
-		if (tunnel->tunnel_id == tunnel_id) {
-			l2tp_tunnel_inc_refcount(tunnel);
+		if (tunnel->tunnel_id == tunnel_id &&
+		    refcount_inc_not_zero(&tunnel->ref_count)) {
 			rcu_read_unlock_bh();
 
 			return tunnel;
@@ -190,8 +190,8 @@ struct l2tp_tunnel *l2tp_tunnel_get_nth(const struct net *net, int nth)
 
 	rcu_read_lock_bh();
 	list_for_each_entry_rcu(tunnel, &pn->l2tp_tunnel_list, list) {
-		if (++count > nth) {
-			l2tp_tunnel_inc_refcount(tunnel);
+		if (++count > nth &&
+		    refcount_inc_not_zero(&tunnel->ref_count)) {
 			rcu_read_unlock_bh();
 			return tunnel;
 		}