diff --git a/include/linux/nsproxy.h b/include/linux/nsproxy.h
index fee881cded01..771cb0285872 100644
--- a/include/linux/nsproxy.h
+++ b/include/linux/nsproxy.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ struct fs_struct;
  * nsproxy is copied.
  */
 struct nsproxy {
-	atomic_t count;
+	refcount_t count;
 	struct uts_namespace *uts_ns;
 	struct ipc_namespace *ipc_ns;
 	struct mnt_namespace *mnt_ns;
@@ -102,14 +102,13 @@ int __init nsproxy_cache_init(void);
 
 static inline void put_nsproxy(struct nsproxy *ns)
 {
-	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&ns->count)) {
+	if (refcount_dec_and_test(&ns->count))
 		free_nsproxy(ns);
-	}
 }
 
 static inline void get_nsproxy(struct nsproxy *ns)
 {
-	atomic_inc(&ns->count);
+	refcount_inc(&ns->count);
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/kernel/nsproxy.c b/kernel/nsproxy.c
index 80d9c6d77a45..15781acaac1c 100644
--- a/kernel/nsproxy.c
+++ b/kernel/nsproxy.c
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 static struct kmem_cache *nsproxy_cachep;
 
 struct nsproxy init_nsproxy = {
-	.count			= ATOMIC_INIT(1),
+	.count			= REFCOUNT_INIT(1),
 	.uts_ns			= &init_uts_ns,
 #if defined(CONFIG_POSIX_MQUEUE) || defined(CONFIG_SYSVIPC)
 	.ipc_ns			= &init_ipc_ns,
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ static inline struct nsproxy *create_nsproxy(void)
 
 	nsproxy = kmem_cache_alloc(nsproxy_cachep, GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (nsproxy)
-		atomic_set(&nsproxy->count, 1);
+		refcount_set(&nsproxy->count, 1);
 	return nsproxy;
 }