diff --git a/sys/kern/kern_descrip.c b/sys/kern/kern_descrip.c
--- a/sys/kern/kern_descrip.c
+++ b/sys/kern/kern_descrip.c
@@ -3087,7 +3087,7 @@
 		error = ENOTDIR;
 		goto out_free;
 	}
-	vref(vp);
+	vrefact(vp);
 	/*
 	 * XXX does not check for VDIR, handled by namei_setup
 	 */
@@ -3537,7 +3537,7 @@
 		error = EINVAL;
 	} else {
 		*vpp = fp->f_vnode;
-		vref(*vpp);
+		vrefact(*vpp);
 	}
 	fdrop(fp, td);
 
@@ -3573,7 +3573,7 @@
 
 	*havecaps = caps;
 	*vpp = fp->f_vnode;
-	vref(*vpp);
+	vrefact(*vpp);
 	fdrop(fp, td);
 
 	return (0);
diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c b/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_syscalls.c
@@ -907,7 +907,7 @@
 	if (error != 0)
 		return (error);
 	vp = fp->f_vnode;
-	vref(vp);
+	vrefact(vp);
 	fdrop(fp, td);
 	vn_lock(vp, LK_SHARED | LK_RETRY);
 	AUDIT_ARG_VNODE1(vp);