diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mediatek/mtk_eth_soc.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mediatek/mtk_eth_soc.c
index 5e81a7263654..54adfd967858 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mediatek/mtk_eth_soc.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mediatek/mtk_eth_soc.c
@@ -1817,7 +1817,7 @@ static int mtk_open(struct net_device *dev)
 	struct mtk_eth *eth = mac->hw;
 
 	/* we run 2 netdevs on the same dma ring so we only bring it up once */
-	if (!atomic_read(&eth->dma_refcnt)) {
+	if (!refcount_read(&eth->dma_refcnt)) {
 		int err = mtk_start_dma(eth);
 
 		if (err)
@@ -1827,8 +1827,10 @@ static int mtk_open(struct net_device *dev)
 		napi_enable(&eth->rx_napi);
 		mtk_tx_irq_enable(eth, MTK_TX_DONE_INT);
 		mtk_rx_irq_enable(eth, MTK_RX_DONE_INT);
+		refcount_set(&eth->dma_refcnt, 1);
 	}
-	atomic_inc(&eth->dma_refcnt);
+	else
+		refcount_inc(&eth->dma_refcnt);
 
 	phy_start(dev->phydev);
 	netif_start_queue(dev);
@@ -1868,7 +1870,7 @@ static int mtk_stop(struct net_device *dev)
 	phy_stop(dev->phydev);
 
 	/* only shutdown DMA if this is the last user */
-	if (!atomic_dec_and_test(&eth->dma_refcnt))
+	if (!refcount_dec_and_test(&eth->dma_refcnt))
 		return 0;
 
 	mtk_tx_irq_disable(eth, MTK_TX_DONE_INT);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mediatek/mtk_eth_soc.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/mediatek/mtk_eth_soc.h
index 3d3c24a28112..a3af4660de81 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mediatek/mtk_eth_soc.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mediatek/mtk_eth_soc.h
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 #ifndef MTK_ETH_H
 #define MTK_ETH_H
 
+#include <linux/refcount.h>
+
 #define MTK_QDMA_PAGE_SIZE	2048
 #define	MTK_MAX_RX_LENGTH	1536
 #define MTK_TX_DMA_BUF_LEN	0x3fff
@@ -632,7 +634,7 @@ struct mtk_eth {
 	struct regmap			*pctl;
 	u32				chip_id;
 	bool				hwlro;
-	atomic_t			dma_refcnt;
+	refcount_t			dma_refcnt;
 	struct mtk_tx_ring		tx_ring;
 	struct mtk_rx_ring		rx_ring[MTK_MAX_RX_RING_NUM];
 	struct mtk_rx_ring		rx_ring_qdma;