--- a/sys/kern/kern_linker.c
+++ b/sys/kern/kern_linker.c
@@ -321,7 +321,9 @@
     if (lf) {
 	KLD_DPF(FILE, ("linker_load_file: file %s is already loaded, incrementing refs\n", filename));
 	*result = lf;
+	lockmgr(&llf_lock, LK_EXCLUSIVE);
 	lf->refs++;
+	lockmgr(&llf_lock, LK_RELEASE);
 	goto out;
     }
 
@@ -813,13 +815,14 @@
 
     lockmgr(&kld_lock, LK_EXCLUSIVE);
     error = linker_load_module(kldname, modname, NULL, NULL, &lf);
+    if (error == 0) {
+	lf->userrefs++;
+	sysmsg->sysmsg_result = lf->id;
+    }
     lockmgr(&kld_lock, LK_RELEASE);
     if (error)
 	goto out;
 
-    lf->userrefs++;
-    sysmsg->sysmsg_result = lf->id;
-
 out:
     if (file)
 	kfree(file, M_TEMP);