diff --git a/net/batman-adv/bat_v_ogm.c b/net/batman-adv/bat_v_ogm.c
index 2c4dca639709..5936d0048be0 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/bat_v_ogm.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/bat_v_ogm.c
@@ -719,7 +719,7 @@ static bool batadv_v_ogm_route_update(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 	 * don't route towards it
 	 */
 	router = batadv_orig_router_get(orig_node, if_outgoing);
-	if (router && router->orig_node != orig_node && !orig_neigh_router) {
+	if (router && ACCESS_PRIVATE(router, orig_node_id) != orig_node && !orig_neigh_router) {
 		batadv_dbg(BATADV_DBG_BATMAN, bat_priv,
 			   "Drop packet: OGM via unknown neighbor!\n");
 		goto out;
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/originator.c b/net/batman-adv/originator.c
index d05c8240426b..15d660ca7937 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/originator.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/originator.c
@@ -693,9 +693,12 @@ batadv_neigh_node_create(struct batadv_orig_node *orig_node,
 	kref_get(&hard_iface->refcount);
 	ether_addr_copy(neigh_node->addr, neigh_addr);
 	neigh_node->if_incoming = hard_iface;
-	neigh_node->orig_node = orig_node;
 	neigh_node->last_seen = jiffies;
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_BATMAN_ADV_BATMAN_V
+	ACCESS_PRIVATE(neigh_node, orig_node_id) = orig_node;
+#endif
+
 	/* increment unique neighbor refcount */
 	kref_get(&hardif_neigh->refcount);
 	neigh_node->hardif_neigh = hardif_neigh;
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/types.h b/net/batman-adv/types.h
index 4e25057359b0..19c7316889b6 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/types.h
+++ b/net/batman-adv/types.h
@@ -663,8 +663,15 @@ struct batadv_neigh_node {
 	/** @list: list node for &batadv_orig_node.neigh_list */
 	struct hlist_node list;
 
-	/** @orig_node: pointer to corresponding orig_node */
-	struct batadv_orig_node *orig_node;
+#ifdef CONFIG_BATMAN_ADV_BATMAN_V
+	/**
+	 * @orig_node_id: pointer to corresponding orig_node. It must only be used
+	 * to identify the node but must NEVER be dereferenced. The reference counter
+	 * was not increased when this was assigned because it would otherwise create
+	 * a reference cycle.
+	 */
+	struct batadv_orig_node *__private orig_node_id;
+#endif
 
 	/** @addr: the MAC address of the neighboring interface */
 	u8 addr[ETH_ALEN];