diff --git a/fs/cifs/cifsglob.h b/fs/cifs/cifsglob.h
index 79eba5a15e80f406007ad89354910cd95b8076a0..d7e39b0de5b00ec223bc648b18d346f8cb47a967 100644
--- a/fs/cifs/cifsglob.h
+++ b/fs/cifs/cifsglob.h
@@ -601,9 +601,11 @@ struct cifs_io_parms {
  * Take a reference on the file private data. Must be called with
  * cifs_file_list_lock held.
  */
-static inline void cifsFileInfo_get(struct cifsFileInfo *cifs_file)
+static inline
+struct cifsFileInfo *cifsFileInfo_get(struct cifsFileInfo *cifs_file)
 {
 	++cifs_file->count;
+	return cifs_file;
 }
 
 void cifsFileInfo_put(struct cifsFileInfo *cifs_file);