Index: head/sys/sys/refcount.h
===================================================================
--- head/sys/sys/refcount.h
+++ head/sys/sys/refcount.h
@@ -175,4 +175,22 @@
 	}
 }
 
+static __inline __result_use_check bool
+refcount_release_if_gt(volatile u_int *count, u_int n)
+{
+	u_int old;
+
+	KASSERT(n > 0,
+	    ("refcount_release_if_gt: Use refcount_release for final ref"));
+	old = *count;
+	for (;;) {
+		if (REFCOUNT_COUNT(old) <= n)
+			return (false);
+		if (__predict_false(REFCOUNT_SATURATED(old)))
+			return (true);
+		if (atomic_fcmpset_int(count, &old, old - 1))
+			return (true);
+	}
+}
+
 #endif	/* ! __SYS_REFCOUNT_H__ */
Index: head/sys/vm/vm_object.h
===================================================================
--- head/sys/vm/vm_object.h
+++ head/sys/vm/vm_object.h
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
 	vm_pindex_t size;		/* Object size */
 	struct domainset_ref domain;	/* NUMA policy. */
 	int generation;			/* generation ID */
-	int ref_count;			/* How many refs?? */
+	volatile u_int ref_count;	/* How many refs?? */
 	int shadow_count;		/* how many objects that this is a shadow for */
 	vm_memattr_t memattr;		/* default memory attribute for pages */
 	objtype_t type;			/* type of pager */
Index: head/sys/vm/vm_object.c
===================================================================
--- head/sys/vm/vm_object.c
+++ head/sys/vm/vm_object.c
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@
 
 	/* These are true for any object that has been freed */
 	object->type = OBJT_DEAD;
-	object->ref_count = 0;
 	vm_radix_init(&object->rtree);
+	refcount_init(&object->ref_count, 0);
 	refcount_init(&object->paging_in_progress, 0);
 	refcount_init(&object->busy, 0);
 	object->resident_page_count = 0;
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@
 	object->size = size;
 	object->domain.dr_policy = NULL;
 	object->generation = 1;
-	object->ref_count = 1;
+	refcount_init(&object->ref_count, 1);
 	object->memattr = VM_MEMATTR_DEFAULT;
 	object->cred = NULL;
 	object->charge = 0;
@@ -444,9 +444,9 @@
 {
 	if (object == NULL)
 		return;
-	VM_OBJECT_WLOCK(object);
+	VM_OBJECT_RLOCK(object);
 	vm_object_reference_locked(object);
-	VM_OBJECT_WUNLOCK(object);
+	VM_OBJECT_RUNLOCK(object);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -461,8 +461,8 @@
 {
 	struct vnode *vp;
 
-	VM_OBJECT_ASSERT_WLOCKED(object);
-	object->ref_count++;
+	VM_OBJECT_ASSERT_LOCKED(object);
+	refcount_acquire(&object->ref_count);
 	if (object->type == OBJT_VNODE) {
 		vp = object->handle;
 		vref(vp);
@@ -477,24 +477,16 @@
 {
 	struct vnode *vp = (struct vnode *) object->handle;
 
-	VM_OBJECT_ASSERT_WLOCKED(object);
 	KASSERT(object->type == OBJT_VNODE,
 	    ("vm_object_vndeallocate: not a vnode object"));
 	KASSERT(vp != NULL, ("vm_object_vndeallocate: missing vp"));
-#ifdef INVARIANTS
-	if (object->ref_count == 0) {
-		vn_printf(vp, "vm_object_vndeallocate ");
-		panic("vm_object_vndeallocate: bad object reference count");
-	}
-#endif
 
-	if (!umtx_shm_vnobj_persistent && object->ref_count == 1)
+	if (refcount_release(&object->ref_count) &&
+	    !umtx_shm_vnobj_persistent)
 		umtx_shm_object_terminated(object);
 
-	object->ref_count--;
-
+	VM_OBJECT_RUNLOCK(object);
 	/* vrele may need the vnode lock. */
-	VM_OBJECT_WUNLOCK(object);
 	vrele(vp);
 }
 
@@ -513,24 +505,32 @@
 vm_object_deallocate(vm_object_t object)
 {
 	vm_object_t temp;
+	bool released;
 
 	while (object != NULL) {
-		VM_OBJECT_WLOCK(object);
+		VM_OBJECT_RLOCK(object);
 		if (object->type == OBJT_VNODE) {
 			vm_object_vndeallocate(object);
 			return;
 		}
 
-		KASSERT(object->ref_count != 0,
-			("vm_object_deallocate: object deallocated too many times: %d", object->type));
-
 		/*
 		 * If the reference count goes to 0 we start calling
-		 * vm_object_terminate() on the object chain.
-		 * A ref count of 1 may be a special case depending on the
-		 * shadow count being 0 or 1.
+		 * vm_object_terminate() on the object chain.  A ref count
+		 * of 1 may be a special case depending on the shadow count
+		 * being 0 or 1.  These cases require a write lock on the
+		 * object.
 		 */
-		object->ref_count--;
+		released = refcount_release_if_gt(&object->ref_count, 2);
+		VM_OBJECT_RUNLOCK(object);
+		if (released)
+			return;
+
+		VM_OBJECT_WLOCK(object);
+		KASSERT(object->ref_count != 0,
+			("vm_object_deallocate: object deallocated too many times: %d", object->type));
+
+		refcount_release(&object->ref_count);
 		if (object->ref_count > 1) {
 			VM_OBJECT_WUNLOCK(object);
 			return;
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@
 					/*
 					 * Avoid a potential deadlock.
 					 */
-					object->ref_count++;
+					refcount_acquire(&object->ref_count);
 					VM_OBJECT_WUNLOCK(object);
 					/*
 					 * More likely than not the thread
@@ -580,7 +580,7 @@
 				    (robject->type == OBJT_DEFAULT ||
 				     robject->type == OBJT_SWAP)) {
 
-					robject->ref_count++;
+					refcount_acquire(&robject->ref_count);
 retry:
 					if (REFCOUNT_COUNT(robject->paging_in_progress) > 0) {
 						VM_OBJECT_WUNLOCK(object);
@@ -1223,15 +1223,15 @@
 	 * Don't create the new object if the old object isn't shared.
 	 */
 	if (source != NULL) {
-		VM_OBJECT_WLOCK(source);
+		VM_OBJECT_RLOCK(source);
 		if (source->ref_count == 1 &&
 		    source->handle == NULL &&
 		    (source->type == OBJT_DEFAULT ||
 		     source->type == OBJT_SWAP)) {
-			VM_OBJECT_WUNLOCK(source);
+			VM_OBJECT_RUNLOCK(source);
 			return;
 		}
-		VM_OBJECT_WUNLOCK(source);
+		VM_OBJECT_RUNLOCK(source);
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -1822,7 +1822,7 @@
 			 * Drop the reference count on backing_object. Since
 			 * its ref_count was at least 2, it will not vanish.
 			 */
-			backing_object->ref_count--;
+			refcount_release(&backing_object->ref_count);
 			VM_OBJECT_WUNLOCK(backing_object);
 			counter_u64_add(object_bypasses, 1);
 		}
Index: head/sys/vm/vnode_pager.c
===================================================================
--- head/sys/vm/vnode_pager.c
+++ head/sys/vm/vnode_pager.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@
 #include <sys/ktr.h>
 #include <sys/limits.h>
 #include <sys/conf.h>
+#include <sys/refcount.h>
 #include <sys/rwlock.h>
 #include <sys/sf_buf.h>
 #include <sys/domainset.h>
@@ -172,9 +173,9 @@
 	 * Dereference the reference we just created.  This assumes
 	 * that the object is associated with the vp.
 	 */
-	VM_OBJECT_WLOCK(object);
-	object->ref_count--;
-	VM_OBJECT_WUNLOCK(object);
+	VM_OBJECT_RLOCK(object);
+	refcount_release(&object->ref_count);
+	VM_OBJECT_RUNLOCK(object);
 	vrele(vp);
 
 	KASSERT(vp->v_object != NULL, ("vnode_create_vobject: NULL object"));
@@ -285,7 +286,7 @@
 			KASSERT(object->ref_count == 1,
 			    ("leaked ref %p %d", object, object->ref_count));
 			object->type = OBJT_DEAD;
-			object->ref_count = 0;
+			refcount_init(&object->ref_count, 0);
 			VM_OBJECT_WUNLOCK(object);
 			vm_object_destroy(object);
 			goto retry;
@@ -294,7 +295,7 @@
 		VI_UNLOCK(vp);
 	} else {
 		VM_OBJECT_WLOCK(object);
-		object->ref_count++;
+		refcount_acquire(&object->ref_count);
 #if VM_NRESERVLEVEL > 0
 		vm_object_color(object, 0);
 #endif