2 files changed, 9 insertions, 4 deletions
diff --git a/src/libstrongswan/utils/utils.c b/src/libstrongswan/utils/utils.c
index aa59f4a4d..30084cd81 100644
--- a/src/libstrongswan/utils/utils.c
+++ b/src/libstrongswan/utils/utils.c
@@ -466,11 +466,15 @@ static pthread_mutex_t ref_mutex = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
 /**
  * Increase refcount
  */
-void ref_get(refcount_t *ref)
+refcount_t ref_get(refcount_t *ref)
 {
+	refcount_t current;
+
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&ref_mutex);
-	(*ref)++;
+	current = ++(*ref);
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&ref_mutex);
+
+	return current;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/libstrongswan/utils/utils.h b/src/libstrongswan/utils/utils.h
index ff1a007c1..8cc48513b 100644
--- a/src/libstrongswan/utils/utils.h
+++ b/src/libstrongswan/utils/utils.h
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ typedef volatile u_int refcount_t;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_GCC_ATOMIC_OPERATIONS
 
-#define ref_get(ref) {__sync_fetch_and_add(ref, 1); }
+#define ref_get(ref) __sync_add_and_fetch(ref, 1)
 #define ref_put(ref) (!__sync_sub_and_fetch(ref, 1))
 
 #define cas_bool(ptr, oldval, newval) \
@@ -677,8 +677,9 @@ typedef volatile u_int refcount_t;
  * Increments the reference counter atomic.
  *
  * @param ref	pointer to ref counter
+ * @return		new value of ref
  */
-void ref_get(refcount_t *ref);
+refcount_t ref_get(refcount_t *ref);
 
 /**
  * Put back a unused reference.