diff --git a/kernel/bpf/btf.c b/kernel/bpf/btf.c
index 22e1046a1a86ae1740e277eedf9292386283b237..fa0dce0452e740b9758748d94903a36bd3c820dd 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/btf.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/btf.c
@@ -1977,7 +1977,7 @@ static struct btf *btf_parse(void __user *btf_data, u32 btf_data_size,
 
 	if (!err) {
 		btf_verifier_env_free(env);
-		btf_get(btf);
+		refcount_set(&btf->refcnt, 1);
 		return btf;
 	}