diff --git a/net/ipv4/igmp.c b/net/ipv4/igmp.c
index 76c3ea75b8ddc0..efeeca2b13285a 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/igmp.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/igmp.c
@@ -216,8 +216,10 @@ static void igmp_start_timer(struct ip_mc_list *im, int max_delay)
 	int tv = get_random_u32_below(max_delay);
 
 	im->tm_running = 1;
-	if (!mod_timer(&im->timer, jiffies+tv+2))
-		refcount_inc(&im->refcnt);
+	if (refcount_inc_not_zero(&im->refcnt)) {
+		if (mod_timer(&im->timer, jiffies + tv + 2))
+			ip_ma_put(im);
+	}
 }
 
 static void igmp_gq_start_timer(struct in_device *in_dev)