diff --git a/include/linux/sched.h b/include/linux/sched.h
index e2bba022827d..9d14d6864ca6 100644
--- a/include/linux/sched.h
+++ b/include/linux/sched.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <linux/seccomp.h>
 #include <linux/nodemask.h>
 #include <linux/rcupdate.h>
+#include <linux/refcount.h>
 #include <linux/resource.h>
 #include <linux/latencytop.h>
 #include <linux/sched/prio.h>
@@ -607,7 +608,7 @@ struct task_struct {
 	randomized_struct_fields_start
 
 	void				*stack;
-	atomic_t			usage;
+	refcount_t			usage;
 	/* Per task flags (PF_*), defined further below: */
 	unsigned int			flags;
 	unsigned int			ptrace;
diff --git a/include/linux/sched/task.h b/include/linux/sched/task.h
index 44c6f15800ff..2e97a2227045 100644
--- a/include/linux/sched/task.h
+++ b/include/linux/sched/task.h
@@ -88,13 +88,13 @@ extern void sched_exec(void);
 #define sched_exec()   {}
 #endif
 
-#define get_task_struct(tsk) do { atomic_inc(&(tsk)->usage); } while(0)
+#define get_task_struct(tsk) do { refcount_inc(&(tsk)->usage); } while(0)
 
 extern void __put_task_struct(struct task_struct *t);
 
 static inline void put_task_struct(struct task_struct *t)
 {
-	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&t->usage))
+	if (refcount_dec_and_test(&t->usage))
 		__put_task_struct(t);
 }
 
diff --git a/init/init_task.c b/init/init_task.c
index 9aa3ebc74970..aca34c89529f 100644
--- a/init/init_task.c
+++ b/init/init_task.c
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ struct task_struct init_task
 #endif
 	.state		= 0,
 	.stack		= init_stack,
-	.usage		= ATOMIC_INIT(2),
+	.usage		= REFCOUNT_INIT(2),
 	.flags		= PF_KTHREAD,
 	.prio		= MAX_PRIO - 20,
 	.static_prio	= MAX_PRIO - 20,
diff --git a/kernel/fork.c b/kernel/fork.c
index 935a42d5f8ff..3f7e192e29f2 100644
--- a/kernel/fork.c
+++ b/kernel/fork.c
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@ static inline void put_signal_struct(struct signal_struct *sig)
 void __put_task_struct(struct task_struct *tsk)
 {
 	WARN_ON(!tsk->exit_state);
-	WARN_ON(atomic_read(&tsk->usage));
+	WARN_ON(refcount_read(&tsk->usage));
 	WARN_ON(tsk == current);
 
 	cgroup_free(tsk);
@@ -896,7 +896,7 @@ static struct task_struct *dup_task_struct(struct task_struct *orig, int node)
 	 * One for us, one for whoever does the "release_task()" (usually
 	 * parent)
 	 */
-	atomic_set(&tsk->usage, 2);
+	refcount_set(&tsk->usage, 2);
 #ifdef CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IO_TRACE
 	tsk->btrace_seq = 0;
 #endif