diff --git a/include/linux/inetdevice.h b/include/linux/inetdevice.h
index dccbeb25f701..6032eea2539a 100644
--- a/include/linux/inetdevice.h
+++ b/include/linux/inetdevice.h
@@ -293,6 +293,11 @@ static inline void in_dev_put(struct in_device *idev)
 #define __in_dev_put(idev)  refcount_dec(&(idev)->refcnt)
 #define in_dev_hold(idev)   refcount_inc(&(idev)->refcnt)
 
+static inline bool in_dev_hold_safe(struct in_device *idev)
+{
+	return refcount_inc_not_zero(&idev->refcnt);
+}
+
 #endif /* __KERNEL__ */
 
 static __inline__ __be32 inet_make_mask(int logmask)
diff --git a/net/ipv4/igmp.c b/net/ipv4/igmp.c
index d520ea4f6d14..3a1cb2a827f3 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/igmp.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/igmp.c
@@ -248,16 +248,20 @@ static void igmp_gq_start_timer(struct in_device *in_dev)
 		return;
 
 	in_dev->mr_gq_running = 1;
-	if (!mod_timer(&in_dev->mr_gq_timer, exp))
-		in_dev_hold(in_dev);
+	if (in_dev_hold_safe(in_dev)) {
+		if (mod_timer(&in_dev->mr_gq_timer, exp))
+			in_dev_put(in_dev);
+	}
 }
 
 static void igmp_ifc_start_timer(struct in_device *in_dev, int delay)
 {
-	int tv = get_random_u32_below(delay);
+	if (in_dev_hold_safe(in_dev)) {
+		int tv = get_random_u32_below(delay);
 
-	if (!mod_timer(&in_dev->mr_ifc_timer, jiffies+tv+2))
-		in_dev_hold(in_dev);
+		if (mod_timer(&in_dev->mr_ifc_timer, jiffies + tv + 2))
+			in_dev_put(in_dev);
+	}
 }
 
 static void igmp_mod_timer(struct ip_mc_list *im, int max_delay)