diff --git a/include/net/sctp/structs.h b/include/net/sctp/structs.h
index 07c11fefa8c49..4d7c855d84430 100644
--- a/include/net/sctp/structs.h
+++ b/include/net/sctp/structs.h
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ struct sctp_datamsg {
 	/* Chunks waiting to be submitted to lower layer. */
 	struct list_head chunks;
 	/* Reference counting. */
-	atomic_t refcnt;
+	refcount_t refcnt;
 	/* When is this message no longer interesting to the peer? */
 	unsigned long expires_at;
 	/* Did the messenge fail to send? */
diff --git a/net/sctp/chunk.c b/net/sctp/chunk.c
index 81466f6442e89..1323d41e68b82 100644
--- a/net/sctp/chunk.c
+++ b/net/sctp/chunk.c
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
 /* Initialize datamsg from memory. */
 static void sctp_datamsg_init(struct sctp_datamsg *msg)
 {
-	atomic_set(&msg->refcnt, 1);
+	refcount_set(&msg->refcnt, 1);
 	msg->send_failed = 0;
 	msg->send_error = 0;
 	msg->can_delay = 1;
@@ -136,13 +136,13 @@ static void sctp_datamsg_destroy(struct sctp_datamsg *msg)
 /* Hold a reference. */
 static void sctp_datamsg_hold(struct sctp_datamsg *msg)
 {
-	atomic_inc(&msg->refcnt);
+	refcount_inc(&msg->refcnt);
 }
 
 /* Release a reference. */
 void sctp_datamsg_put(struct sctp_datamsg *msg)
 {
-	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&msg->refcnt))
+	if (refcount_dec_and_test(&msg->refcnt))
 		sctp_datamsg_destroy(msg);
 }