diff --git a/batman-adv/bat_sysfs.c b/batman-adv/bat_sysfs.c
index 8e180ba..9ab2bfe 100644
--- a/batman-adv/bat_sysfs.c
+++ b/batman-adv/bat_sysfs.c
@@ -453,13 +453,17 @@ static ssize_t show_mesh_iface(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr,
 	struct device *dev = to_dev(kobj->parent);
 	struct net_device *net_dev = to_net_dev(dev);
 	struct batman_if *batman_if = get_batman_if_by_netdev(net_dev);
+	ssize_t length;
 
 	if (!batman_if)
 		return 0;
 
-	return sprintf(buff, "%s\n",
-		       batman_if->if_status == IF_NOT_IN_USE ?
-					"none" : batman_if->soft_iface->name);
+	length = sprintf(buff, "%s\n", batman_if->if_status == IF_NOT_IN_USE ?
+			 "none" : batman_if->soft_iface->name);
+
+	hardif_put(batman_if);
+
+	return length;
 }
 
 static ssize_t store_mesh_iface(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr,
@@ -469,6 +473,7 @@ static ssize_t store_mesh_iface(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr,
 	struct net_device *net_dev = to_net_dev(dev);
 	struct batman_if *batman_if = get_batman_if_by_netdev(net_dev);
 	int status_tmp = -1;
+	int ret;
 
 	if (!batman_if)
 		return count;
@@ -479,6 +484,7 @@ static ssize_t store_mesh_iface(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr,
 	if (strlen(buff) >= IFNAMSIZ) {
 		pr_err("Invalid parameter for 'mesh_iface' setting received: "
 		       "interface name too long '%s'\n", buff);
+		hardif_put(batman_if);
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
@@ -488,13 +494,16 @@ static ssize_t store_mesh_iface(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr,
 		status_tmp = IF_I_WANT_YOU;
 
 	if ((batman_if->if_status == status_tmp) || ((batman_if->soft_iface) &&
-	    (strncmp(batman_if->soft_iface->name, buff, IFNAMSIZ) == 0)))
+	    (strncmp(batman_if->soft_iface->name, buff, IFNAMSIZ) == 0))) {
+		hardif_put(batman_if);
 		return count;
+	}
 
 	if (status_tmp == IF_NOT_IN_USE) {
 		rtnl_lock();
 		hardif_disable_interface(batman_if);
 		rtnl_unlock();
+		hardif_put(batman_if);
 		return count;
 	}
 
@@ -505,7 +514,10 @@ static ssize_t store_mesh_iface(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr,
 		rtnl_unlock();
 	}
 
-	return hardif_enable_interface(batman_if, buff);
+	ret = hardif_enable_interface(batman_if, buff);
+	hardif_put(batman_if);
+
+	return ret;
 }
 
 static ssize_t show_iface_status(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr,
@@ -514,23 +526,33 @@ static ssize_t show_iface_status(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr,
 	struct device *dev = to_dev(kobj->parent);
 	struct net_device *net_dev = to_net_dev(dev);
 	struct batman_if *batman_if = get_batman_if_by_netdev(net_dev);
+	ssize_t length;
 
 	if (!batman_if)
 		return 0;
 
 	switch (batman_if->if_status) {
 	case IF_TO_BE_REMOVED:
-		return sprintf(buff, "disabling\n");
+		length = sprintf(buff, "disabling\n");
+		break;
 	case IF_INACTIVE:
-		return sprintf(buff, "inactive\n");
+		length = sprintf(buff, "inactive\n");
+		break;
 	case IF_ACTIVE:
-		return sprintf(buff, "active\n");
+		length = sprintf(buff, "active\n");
+		break;
 	case IF_TO_BE_ACTIVATED:
-		return sprintf(buff, "enabling\n");
+		length = sprintf(buff, "enabling\n");
+		break;
 	case IF_NOT_IN_USE:
 	default:
-		return sprintf(buff, "not in use\n");
+		length = sprintf(buff, "not in use\n");
+		break;
 	}
+
+	hardif_put(batman_if);
+
+	return length;
 }
 
 static BAT_ATTR(mesh_iface, S_IRUGO | S_IWUSR,
diff --git a/batman-adv/hard-interface.c b/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
index 445498c..64ff53d 100644
--- a/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
+++ b/batman-adv/hard-interface.c
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ struct batman_if *get_batman_if_by_netdev(struct net_device *net_dev)
 	batman_if = NULL;
 
 out:
+	if (batman_if)
+		hardif_hold(batman_if);
+
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return batman_if;
 }
@@ -98,31 +101,45 @@ static struct batman_if *get_active_batman_if(struct net_device *soft_iface)
 	batman_if = NULL;
 
 out:
+	if (batman_if)
+		hardif_hold(batman_if);
+
 	rcu_read_unlock();
 	return batman_if;
 }
 
+static void update_primary_addr(struct bat_priv *bat_priv)
+{
+	struct vis_packet *vis_packet;
+
+	vis_packet = (struct vis_packet *)
+				bat_priv->my_vis_info->skb_packet->data;
+	memcpy(vis_packet->vis_orig,
+	       bat_priv->primary_if->net_dev->dev_addr, ETH_ALEN);
+	memcpy(vis_packet->sender_orig,
+	       bat_priv->primary_if->net_dev->dev_addr, ETH_ALEN);
+}
+
 static void set_primary_if(struct bat_priv *bat_priv,
 			   struct batman_if *batman_if)
 {
 	struct batman_packet *batman_packet;
-	struct vis_packet *vis_packet;
+
+	if (bat_priv->primary_if)
+		hardif_put(bat_priv->primary_if);
 
 	bat_priv->primary_if = batman_if;
 
 	if (!bat_priv->primary_if)
 		return;
 
+	hardif_hold(bat_priv->primary_if);
+
 	batman_packet = (struct batman_packet *)(batman_if->packet_buff);
 	batman_packet->flags = PRIMARIES_FIRST_HOP;
 	batman_packet->ttl = TTL;
 
-	vis_packet = (struct vis_packet *)
-				bat_priv->my_vis_info->skb_packet->data;
-	memcpy(vis_packet->vis_orig,
-	       bat_priv->primary_if->net_dev->dev_addr, ETH_ALEN);
-	memcpy(vis_packet->sender_orig,
-	       bat_priv->primary_if->net_dev->dev_addr, ETH_ALEN);
+	update_primary_addr(bat_priv);
 
 	/***
 	 * hacky trick to make sure that we send the HNA information via
@@ -294,6 +311,7 @@ int hardif_enable_interface(struct batman_if *batman_if, char *iface_name)
 	batman_if->batman_adv_ptype.type = __constant_htons(ETH_P_BATMAN);
 	batman_if->batman_adv_ptype.func = batman_skb_recv;
 	batman_if->batman_adv_ptype.dev = batman_if->net_dev;
+	hardif_hold(batman_if);
 	dev_add_pack(&batman_if->batman_adv_ptype);
 
 	atomic_set(&batman_if->seqno, 1);
@@ -352,6 +370,7 @@ void hardif_disable_interface(struct batman_if *batman_if)
 	bat_info(batman_if->soft_iface, "Removing interface: %s\n",
 		 batman_if->net_dev->name);
 	dev_remove_pack(&batman_if->batman_adv_ptype);
+	hardif_put(batman_if);
 
 	bat_priv->num_ifaces--;
 	orig_hash_del_if(batman_if, bat_priv->num_ifaces);
@@ -412,6 +431,8 @@ static struct batman_if *hardif_add_interface(struct net_device *net_dev)
 	list_add_tail_rcu(&batman_if->list, &if_list);
 	spin_unlock(&if_list_lock);
 
+	/* extra reference for return */
+	hardif_hold(batman_if);
 	return batman_if;
 
 free_if:
@@ -461,7 +482,7 @@ static int hard_if_event(struct notifier_block *this,
 	struct bat_priv *bat_priv;
 
 	if (!batman_if && event == NETDEV_REGISTER)
-			batman_if = hardif_add_interface(net_dev);
+		batman_if = hardif_add_interface(net_dev);
 
 	if (!batman_if)
 		goto out;
@@ -484,19 +505,22 @@ static int hard_if_event(struct notifier_block *this,
 			update_min_mtu(batman_if->soft_iface);
 		break;
 	case NETDEV_CHANGEADDR:
-		if (batman_if->if_status == IF_NOT_IN_USE)
+		if (batman_if->if_status == IF_NOT_IN_USE) {
+			hardif_put(batman_if);
 			goto out;
+		}
 
 		check_known_mac_addr(batman_if->net_dev->dev_addr);
 		update_mac_addresses(batman_if);
 
 		bat_priv = netdev_priv(batman_if->soft_iface);
 		if (batman_if == bat_priv->primary_if)
-			set_primary_if(bat_priv, batman_if);
+			update_primary_addr(bat_priv);
 		break;
 	default:
 		break;
 	};
+	hardif_put(batman_if);
 
 out:
 	return NOTIFY_DONE;
