diff --git a/include/net/dst.h b/include/net/dst.h
index 93568bd0a352..06a6765da074 100644
--- a/include/net/dst.h
+++ b/include/net/dst.h
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ static inline void dst_use_noref(struct dst_entry *dst, unsigned long time)
 static inline struct dst_entry *dst_clone(struct dst_entry *dst)
 {
 	if (dst)
-		atomic_inc(&dst->__refcnt);
+		dst_hold(dst);
 	return dst;
 }
 
@@ -311,21 +311,6 @@ static inline void skb_dst_copy(struct sk_buff *nskb, const struct sk_buff *oskb
 	__skb_dst_copy(nskb, oskb->_skb_refdst);
 }
 
-/**
- * skb_dst_force - makes sure skb dst is refcounted
- * @skb: buffer
- *
- * If dst is not yet refcounted, let's do it
- */
-static inline void skb_dst_force(struct sk_buff *skb)
-{
-	if (skb_dst_is_noref(skb)) {
-		WARN_ON(!rcu_read_lock_held());
-		skb->_skb_refdst &= ~SKB_DST_NOREF;
-		dst_clone(skb_dst(skb));
-	}
-}
-
 /**
  * dst_hold_safe - Take a reference on a dst if possible
  * @dst: pointer to dst entry
@@ -339,16 +324,17 @@ static inline bool dst_hold_safe(struct dst_entry *dst)
 }
 
 /**
- * skb_dst_force_safe - makes sure skb dst is refcounted
+ * skb_dst_force - makes sure skb dst is refcounted
  * @skb: buffer
  *
  * If dst is not yet refcounted and not destroyed, grab a ref on it.
  */
-static inline void skb_dst_force_safe(struct sk_buff *skb)
+static inline void skb_dst_force(struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
 	if (skb_dst_is_noref(skb)) {
 		struct dst_entry *dst = skb_dst(skb);
 
+		WARN_ON(!rcu_read_lock_held());
 		if (!dst_hold_safe(dst))
 			dst = NULL;
 
diff --git a/include/net/route.h b/include/net/route.h
index 1b09a9368c68..57dfc6850d37 100644
--- a/include/net/route.h
+++ b/include/net/route.h
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ static inline int ip_route_input(struct sk_buff *skb, __be32 dst, __be32 src,
 	rcu_read_lock();
 	err = ip_route_input_noref(skb, dst, src, tos, devin);
 	if (!err) {
-		skb_dst_force_safe(skb);
+		skb_dst_force(skb);
 		if (!skb_dst(skb))
 			err = -EINVAL;
 	}
diff --git a/include/net/sock.h b/include/net/sock.h
index 03a362568357..a6b9a8d1a6df 100644
--- a/include/net/sock.h
+++ b/include/net/sock.h
@@ -856,7 +856,7 @@ void sk_stream_write_space(struct sock *sk);
 static inline void __sk_add_backlog(struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
 	/* dont let skb dst not refcounted, we are going to leave rcu lock */
-	skb_dst_force_safe(skb);
+	skb_dst_force(skb);
 
 	if (!sk->sk_backlog.tail)
 		sk->sk_backlog.head = skb;