diff --git a/fs/nfs/cache_lib.c b/fs/nfs/cache_lib.c
index 2ae676f93e6b..6167f13025d7 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/cache_lib.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/cache_lib.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ out:
  */
 void nfs_cache_defer_req_put(struct nfs_cache_defer_req *dreq)
 {
-	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&dreq->count))
+	if (refcount_dec_and_test(&dreq->count))
 		kfree(dreq);
 }
 
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ static struct cache_deferred_req *nfs_dns_cache_defer(struct cache_req *req)
 
 	dreq = container_of(req, struct nfs_cache_defer_req, req);
 	dreq->deferred_req.revisit = nfs_dns_cache_revisit;
-	atomic_inc(&dreq->count);
+	refcount_inc(&dreq->count);
 
 	return &dreq->deferred_req;
 }
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ struct nfs_cache_defer_req *nfs_cache_defer_req_alloc(void)
 	dreq = kzalloc(sizeof(*dreq), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (dreq) {
 		init_completion(&dreq->completion);
-		atomic_set(&dreq->count, 1);
+		refcount_set(&dreq->count, 1);
 		dreq->req.defer = nfs_dns_cache_defer;
 	}
 	return dreq;
diff --git a/fs/nfs/cache_lib.h b/fs/nfs/cache_lib.h
index 4116d2c3f52f..02b378c2eeef 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/cache_lib.h
+++ b/fs/nfs/cache_lib.h
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ struct nfs_cache_defer_req {
 	struct cache_req req;
 	struct cache_deferred_req deferred_req;
 	struct completion completion;
-	atomic_t count;
+	refcount_t count;
 };
 
 extern int nfs_cache_upcall(struct cache_detail *cd, char *entry_name);