diff --git a/tools/perf/util/machine.c b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
index 71c9720d49730066dc1100defee124a4d3c198b9..b9974fe41bc1ab9193a4cba41df9b7bf871537fa 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/machine.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
@@ -1439,7 +1439,7 @@ static void __machine__remove_thread(struct machine *machine, struct thread *th,
 	if (machine->last_match == th)
 		machine->last_match = NULL;
 
-	BUG_ON(atomic_read(&th->refcnt) == 0);
+	BUG_ON(refcount_read(&th->refcnt) == 0);
 	if (lock)
 		pthread_rwlock_wrlock(&machine->threads_lock);
 	rb_erase_init(&th->rb_node, &machine->threads);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/thread.c b/tools/perf/util/thread.c
index f5af87f6666303df886d4c70fd2d565c1d0436e9..74e79d26b4217c6227f381f71831232255c10e57 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/thread.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/thread.c
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ struct thread *thread__new(pid_t pid, pid_t tid)
 			goto err_thread;
 
 		list_add(&comm->list, &thread->comm_list);
-		atomic_set(&thread->refcnt, 1);
+		refcount_set(&thread->refcnt, 1);
 		RB_CLEAR_NODE(&thread->rb_node);
 	}
 
@@ -88,13 +88,13 @@ void thread__delete(struct thread *thread)
 struct thread *thread__get(struct thread *thread)
 {
 	if (thread)
-		atomic_inc(&thread->refcnt);
+		refcount_inc(&thread->refcnt);
 	return thread;
 }
 
 void thread__put(struct thread *thread)
 {
-	if (thread && atomic_dec_and_test(&thread->refcnt)) {
+	if (thread && refcount_dec_and_test(&thread->refcnt)) {
 		/*
 		 * Remove it from the dead_threads list, as last reference
 		 * is gone.
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/thread.h b/tools/perf/util/thread.h
index 99263cb6e6b646bd987fc3ff410c2efa495f3944..e57188546465a6e4a9d276921968673fc9f39c78 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/thread.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/thread.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef __PERF_THREAD_H
 #define __PERF_THREAD_H
 
-#include <linux/atomic.h>
+#include <linux/refcount.h>
 #include <linux/rbtree.h>
 #include <linux/list.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ struct thread {
 	pid_t			tid;
 	pid_t			ppid;
 	int			cpu;
-	atomic_t		refcnt;
+	refcount_t		refcnt;
 	char			shortname[3];
 	bool			comm_set;
 	int			comm_len;