diff --git a/net/batman-adv/main.c b/net/batman-adv/main.c
index bf8a01b..e3d7051 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/main.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/main.c
@@ -1261,7 +1261,7 @@
 	vlan = batadv_softif_vlan_get(bat_priv, vid);
 	if (vlan) {
 		ap_isolation_enabled = atomic_read(&vlan->ap_isolation);
-		batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
+		batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
 	}
 
 	return ap_isolation_enabled;
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
index ca8fa4e2..0710379 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
@@ -497,11 +497,11 @@
 }
 
 /**
- * batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref - decrease the vlan object refcounter and
+ * batadv_softif_vlan_put - decrease the vlan object refcounter and
  *  possibly release it
  * @vlan: the vlan object to release
  */
-void batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(struct batadv_softif_vlan *vlan)
+void batadv_softif_vlan_put(struct batadv_softif_vlan *vlan)
 {
 	if (!vlan)
 		return;
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@
 
 	vlan = batadv_softif_vlan_get(bat_priv, vid);
 	if (vlan) {
-		batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
+		batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
 		return -EEXIST;
 	}
 
@@ -601,7 +601,7 @@
 			       vlan->vid, "vlan interface destroyed", false);
 
 	batadv_sysfs_del_vlan(bat_priv, vlan);
-	batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
+	batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -646,7 +646,7 @@
 	if (!vlan->kobj) {
 		ret = batadv_sysfs_add_vlan(bat_priv->soft_iface, vlan);
 		if (ret) {
-			batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
+			batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
 			return ret;
 		}
 	}
@@ -693,7 +693,7 @@
 	batadv_softif_destroy_vlan(bat_priv, vlan);
 
 	/* finally free the vlan object */
-	batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
+	batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -749,7 +749,7 @@
 	vlan = batadv_softif_vlan_get(bat_priv, BATADV_NO_FLAGS);
 	if (vlan) {
 		batadv_softif_destroy_vlan(bat_priv, vlan);
-		batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
+		batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
 	}
 
 	batadv_sysfs_del_meshif(soft_iface);
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.h b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.h
index d17cfba..9ae2657 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.h
+++ b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.h
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 int batadv_softif_is_valid(const struct net_device *net_dev);
 extern struct rtnl_link_ops batadv_link_ops;
 int batadv_softif_create_vlan(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv, unsigned short vid);
-void batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(struct batadv_softif_vlan *softif_vlan);
+void batadv_softif_vlan_put(struct batadv_softif_vlan *softif_vlan);
 struct batadv_softif_vlan *batadv_softif_vlan_get(struct batadv_priv *bat_priv,
 						  unsigned short vid);
 
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/sysfs.c b/net/batman-adv/sysfs.c
index 0db7591..4d70d44 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/sysfs.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/sysfs.c
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@
 					      attr, &vlan->_name,	\
 					      bat_priv->soft_iface);	\
 									\
-	batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);				\
+	batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);					\
 	return res;							\
 }
 
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@
 			     atomic_read(&vlan->_name) == 0 ?		\
 			     "disabled" : "enabled");			\
 									\
-	batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);				\
+	batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);					\
 	return res;							\
 }
 
diff --git a/net/batman-adv/translation-table.c b/net/batman-adv/translation-table.c
index 132635a..b81f8ea 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/translation-table.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/translation-table.c
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@
 
 	atomic_add(v, &vlan->tt.num_entries);
 
-	batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
+	batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@
 	if (unlikely(hash_added != 0)) {
 		/* remove the reference for the hash */
 		batadv_tt_local_entry_free_ref(tt_local);
-		batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
+		batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
 		goto out;
 	}
 
@@ -1054,7 +1054,7 @@
 				   no_purge ? 0 : last_seen_msecs,
 				   vlan->tt.crc);
 
-			batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
+			batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
 		}
 		rcu_read_unlock();
 	}
@@ -1144,8 +1144,8 @@
 	if (!vlan)
 		goto out;
 
-	batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
-	batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
+	batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
+	batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
 
 out:
 	if (tt_local_entry)
@@ -1245,8 +1245,8 @@
 			vlan = batadv_softif_vlan_get(bat_priv,
 						      tt_common_entry->vid);
 			if (vlan) {
-				batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
-				batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
+				batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
+				batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
 			}
 
 			batadv_tt_local_entry_free_ref(tt_local);
@@ -3342,8 +3342,8 @@
 			/* decrease the reference held for this vlan */
 			vlan = batadv_softif_vlan_get(bat_priv, tt_common->vid);
 			if (vlan) {
-				batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
-				batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
+				batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
+				batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
 			}
 
 			batadv_tt_local_entry_free_ref(tt_local);
@@ -3429,7 +3429,7 @@
 	ret = true;
 
 out:
-	batadv_softif_vlan_free_ref(vlan);
+	batadv_softif_vlan_put(vlan);
 	if (tt_global_entry)
 		batadv_tt_global_entry_free_ref(tt_global_entry);
 	if (tt_local_entry)