Index: head/sys/net/route/nhgrp_ctl.c
===================================================================
--- head/sys/net/route/nhgrp_ctl.c
+++ head/sys/net/route/nhgrp_ctl.c
@@ -294,6 +294,17 @@
 }
 
 void
+nhgrp_ref_object(struct nhgrp_object *nhg)
+{
+	struct nhgrp_priv *nhg_priv;
+	u_int old;
+
+	nhg_priv = NHGRP_PRIV(nhg);
+	old = refcount_acquire(&nhg_priv->nhg_refcount);
+	KASSERT(old > 0, ("%s: nhgrp object %p has 0 refs", __func__, nhg));
+}
+
+void
 nhgrp_free(struct nhgrp_object *nhg)
 {
 	struct nhgrp_priv *nhg_priv;
Index: head/sys/net/route/nhop_ctl.c
===================================================================
--- head/sys/net/route/nhop_ctl.c
+++ head/sys/net/route/nhop_ctl.c
@@ -691,6 +691,19 @@
 }
 
 void
+nhop_ref_any(struct nhop_object *nh)
+{
+#ifdef ROUTE_MPATH
+	if (!NH_IS_NHGRP(nh))
+		nhop_ref_object(nh);
+	else
+		nhgrp_ref_object((struct nhgrp_object *)nh);
+#else
+	nhop_ref_object(nh);
+#endif
+}
+
+void
 nhop_free_any(struct nhop_object *nh)
 {
 
Index: head/sys/net/route/route_var.h
===================================================================
--- head/sys/net/route/route_var.h
+++ head/sys/net/route/route_var.h
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@
 void nhops_destroy_rib(struct rib_head *rh);
 void nhop_ref_object(struct nhop_object *nh);
 int nhop_try_ref_object(struct nhop_object *nh);
+void nhop_ref_any(struct nhop_object *nh);
 void nhop_free_any(struct nhop_object *nh);
 
 void nhop_set_type(struct nhop_object *nh, enum nhop_type nh_type);
@@ -306,6 +307,7 @@
     struct route_nhop_data *rnd_orig, struct route_nhop_data *rnd_add,
     struct route_nhop_data *rnd_new);
 
+void nhgrp_ref_object(struct nhgrp_object *nhg);
 uint32_t nhgrp_get_idx(const struct nhgrp_object *nhg);
 void nhgrp_free(struct nhgrp_object *nhg);