diff --git a/net/ipv4/inet_connection_sock.c b/net/ipv4/inet_connection_sock.c
index 5ec9136a7c36..18cd2eae758f 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/inet_connection_sock.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/inet_connection_sock.c
@@ -543,7 +543,8 @@ struct dst_entry *inet_csk_route_req(const struct sock *sk,
 	struct ip_options_rcu *opt;
 	struct rtable *rt;
 
-	opt = rcu_dereference(ireq->ireq_opt);
+	opt = rcu_dereference_protected(ireq->ireq_opt,
+					refcount_read(&req->rsk_refcnt) > 0);
 	flowi4_init_output(fl4, ireq->ir_iif, ireq->ir_mark,
 			   RT_CONN_FLAGS(sk), RT_SCOPE_UNIVERSE,
 			   sk->sk_protocol, inet_sk_flowi_flags(sk),