diff --git a/drivers/nvme/target/fcloop.c b/drivers/nvme/target/fcloop.c
index da195d61a966..67e24c7d5930 100644
--- a/drivers/nvme/target/fcloop.c
+++ b/drivers/nvme/target/fcloop.c
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ struct fcloop_nport {
 	struct fcloop_tport *tport;
 	struct fcloop_lport *lport;
 	struct list_head nport_list;
-	struct kref ref;
+	refcount_t ref;
 	u64 node_name;
 	u64 port_name;
 	u32 port_role;
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ struct fcloop_fcpreq {
 	u32				inistate;
 	bool				active;
 	bool				aborted;
-	struct kref			ref;
+	refcount_t			ref;
 	struct work_struct		fcp_rcv_work;
 	struct work_struct		abort_rcv_work;
 	struct work_struct		tio_done_work;
@@ -533,25 +533,19 @@ fcloop_tgt_discovery_evt(struct nvmet_fc_target_port *tgtport)
 	queue_work(nvmet_wq, &tgt_rscn->work);
 }
 
-static void
-fcloop_tfcp_req_free(struct kref *ref)
-{
-	struct fcloop_fcpreq *tfcp_req =
-		container_of(ref, struct fcloop_fcpreq, ref);
-
-	kfree(tfcp_req);
-}
-
 static void
 fcloop_tfcp_req_put(struct fcloop_fcpreq *tfcp_req)
 {
-	kref_put(&tfcp_req->ref, fcloop_tfcp_req_free);
+	if (!refcount_dec_and_test(&tfcp_req->ref))
+		return;
+
+	kfree(tfcp_req);
 }
 
 static int
 fcloop_tfcp_req_get(struct fcloop_fcpreq *tfcp_req)
 {
-	return kref_get_unless_zero(&tfcp_req->ref);
+	return refcount_inc_not_zero(&tfcp_req->ref);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -748,7 +742,7 @@ fcloop_fcp_req(struct nvme_fc_local_port *localport,
 	INIT_WORK(&tfcp_req->fcp_rcv_work, fcloop_fcp_recv_work);
 	INIT_WORK(&tfcp_req->abort_rcv_work, fcloop_fcp_abort_recv_work);
 	INIT_WORK(&tfcp_req->tio_done_work, fcloop_tgt_fcprqst_done_work);
-	kref_init(&tfcp_req->ref);
+	refcount_set(&tfcp_req->ref, 1);
 
 	queue_work(nvmet_wq, &tfcp_req->fcp_rcv_work);
 
@@ -1000,25 +994,19 @@ fcloop_fcp_abort(struct nvme_fc_local_port *localport,
 	}
 }
 
-static void
-fcloop_nport_free(struct kref *ref)
-{
-	struct fcloop_nport *nport =
-		container_of(ref, struct fcloop_nport, ref);
-
-	kfree(nport);
-}
-
 static void
 fcloop_nport_put(struct fcloop_nport *nport)
 {
-	kref_put(&nport->ref, fcloop_nport_free);
+	if (!refcount_dec_and_test(&nport->ref))
+		return;
+
+	kfree(nport);
 }
 
 static int
 fcloop_nport_get(struct fcloop_nport *nport)
 {
-	return kref_get_unless_zero(&nport->ref);
+	return refcount_inc_not_zero(&nport->ref);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1249,7 +1237,7 @@ fcloop_alloc_nport(const char *buf, size_t count, bool remoteport)
 		newnport->port_role = opts->roles;
 	if (opts->mask & NVMF_OPT_FCADDR)
 		newnport->port_id = opts->fcaddr;
-	kref_init(&newnport->ref);
+	refcount_set(&newnport->ref, 1);
 
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&fcloop_lock, flags);