diff --git a/net/batman-adv/tvlv.c b/net/batman-adv/tvlv.c
index 3d1cf0fb112d..353386780e6d 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/tvlv.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/tvlv.c
@@ -257,8 +257,13 @@ void batadv_tvlv_container_register(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 	spin_lock_bh(&bat_priv->tvlv.container_list_lock);
 	tvlv_old = batadv_tvlv_container_get(bat_priv, type, version);
 	batadv_tvlv_container_remove(bat_priv, tvlv_old);
+
+	kref_get(&tvlv_new->refcount);
 	hlist_add_head(&tvlv_new->list, &bat_priv->tvlv.container_list);
 	spin_unlock_bh(&bat_priv->tvlv.container_list_lock);
+
+	/* don't return reference to new tvlv_container */
+	batadv_tvlv_container_put(tvlv_new);
 }
 
 /**