diff --git a/fs/dlm/lowcomms.c b/fs/dlm/lowcomms.c
index a4e84e8d94c8..59f64c596233 100644
--- a/fs/dlm/lowcomms.c
+++ b/fs/dlm/lowcomms.c
@@ -1336,6 +1336,8 @@ struct dlm_msg *dlm_lowcomms_new_msg(int nodeid, int len, gfp_t allocation,
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
+	/* for dlm_lowcomms_commit_msg() */
+	kref_get(&msg->ref);
 	/* we assume if successful commit must called */
 	msg->idx = idx;
 	return msg;
@@ -1375,6 +1377,8 @@ void dlm_lowcomms_commit_msg(struct dlm_msg *msg)
 {
 	_dlm_lowcomms_commit_msg(msg);
 	srcu_read_unlock(&connections_srcu, msg->idx);
+	/* because dlm_lowcomms_new_msg() */
+	kref_put(&msg->ref, dlm_msg_release);
 }
 #endif