diff --git a/net/batman-adv/bridge_loop_avoidance.c b/net/batman-adv/bridge_loop_avoidance.c
index 8b77dd2ecfa4..879ab043d57a 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/bridge_loop_avoidance.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/bridge_loop_avoidance.c
@@ -1288,6 +1288,13 @@ static void batadv_bla_purge_claims(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 
 		rcu_read_lock();
 		hlist_for_each_entry_rcu(claim, head, hash_entry) {
+			/* only purge claims not currently in the process of being released.
+			 * Such claims could otherwise have a NULL-ptr backbone_gw set because
+			 * they already went through batadv_claim_release()
+			 */
+			if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&claim->refcount))
+				continue;
+
 			backbone_gw = batadv_bla_claim_get_backbone_gw(claim);
 			if (now)
 				goto purge_now;
@@ -1313,6 +1320,7 @@ static void batadv_bla_purge_claims(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 					      claim->addr, claim->vid);
 skip:
 			batadv_backbone_gw_put(backbone_gw);
+			batadv_claim_put(claim);
 		}
 		rcu_read_unlock();
 	}