diff --git a/net/batman-adv/gateway_client.c b/net/batman-adv/gateway_client.c
index c59aff5ccac8a63f191a669eafcfdba7a270fd75..bb1c4f37716ee867918b24784fae580c8ec0d0f8 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/gateway_client.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/gateway_client.c
@@ -135,8 +135,8 @@ static void batadv_gw_select(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 
 	spin_lock_bh(&bat_priv->gw.list_lock);
 
-	if (new_gw_node && !kref_get_unless_zero(&new_gw_node->refcount))
-		new_gw_node = NULL;
+	if (new_gw_node)
+		kref_get(&new_gw_node->refcount);
 
 	curr_gw_node = rcu_dereference_protected(bat_priv->gw.curr_gw, 1);
 	rcu_assign_pointer(bat_priv->gw.curr_gw, new_gw_node);