Index: head/sys/net/route/nhop_ctl.c
===================================================================
--- head/sys/net/route/nhop_ctl.c
+++ head/sys/net/route/nhop_ctl.c
@@ -598,10 +598,19 @@
 	destroy_nhop(nh_priv);
 }
 
-int
+void
 nhop_ref_object(struct nhop_object *nh)
 {
+	u_int old;
 
+	old = refcount_acquire(&nh->nh_priv->nh_refcnt);
+	KASSERT(old > 0, ("%s: nhop object %p has 0 refs", __func__, nh));
+}
+
+int
+nhop_try_ref_object(struct nhop_object *nh)
+{
+
 	return (refcount_acquire_if_not_zero(&nh->nh_priv->nh_refcnt));
 }
 
@@ -654,7 +663,7 @@
 nhop_ref_any(struct nhop_object *nh)
 {
 
-	return (nhop_ref_object(nh));
+	return (nhop_try_ref_object(nh));
 }
 
 void
Index: head/sys/net/route/shared.h
===================================================================
--- head/sys/net/route/shared.h
+++ head/sys/net/route/shared.h
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@
 void nhops_init(void);
 int nhops_init_rib(struct rib_head *rh);
 void nhops_destroy_rib(struct rib_head *rh);
-int nhop_ref_object(struct nhop_object *nh);
+void nhop_ref_object(struct nhop_object *nh);
+int nhop_try_ref_object(struct nhop_object *nh);
 int nhop_ref_any(struct nhop_object *nh);
 void nhop_free_any(struct nhop_object *nh);