diff --git a/src/core/refcnt.c b/src/core/refcnt.c
index 36b7ce22..30bb6dea 100644
--- a/src/core/refcnt.c
+++ b/src/core/refcnt.c
@@ -29,18 +29,18 @@
  * Increment reference count
  *
  * @v refcnt		Reference counter, or NULL
+ * @ret refcnt		Reference counter
  *
  * If @c refcnt is NULL, no action is taken.
  */
-void ref_get ( struct refcnt *refcnt ) {
+struct refcnt * ref_get ( struct refcnt *refcnt ) {
 
-	if ( ! refcnt )
-		return;
-
-	refcnt->refcnt++;
-
-	DBGC2 ( refcnt, "REFCNT %p incremented to %d\n",
-		refcnt, refcnt->refcnt );
+	if ( refcnt ) {
+		refcnt->refcnt++;
+		DBGC2 ( refcnt, "REFCNT %p incremented to %d\n",
+			refcnt, refcnt->refcnt );
+	}
+	return refcnt;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/include/gpxe/refcnt.h b/src/include/gpxe/refcnt.h
index 0930a577..68e0fd4b 100644
--- a/src/include/gpxe/refcnt.h
+++ b/src/include/gpxe/refcnt.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ struct refcnt {
 	void ( * free ) ( struct refcnt *refcnt );
 };
 
-extern void ref_get ( struct refcnt *refcnt );
+extern struct refcnt * ref_get ( struct refcnt *refcnt );
 extern void ref_put ( struct refcnt *refcnt );
 
 #endif /* _GPXE_REFCNT_H */