diff --git a/net/l2tp/l2tp_ppp.c b/net/l2tp/l2tp_ppp.c
index 123b6a2411a0..827e55c41ba2 100644
--- a/net/l2tp/l2tp_ppp.c
+++ b/net/l2tp/l2tp_ppp.c
@@ -1141,11 +1141,18 @@ static int pppol2tp_tunnel_ioctl(struct l2tp_tunnel *tunnel,
 		if (stats.session_id != 0) {
 			/* resend to session ioctl handler */
 			struct l2tp_session *session =
-				l2tp_session_find(sock_net(sk), tunnel, stats.session_id);
-			if (session != NULL)
-				err = pppol2tp_session_ioctl(session, cmd, arg);
-			else
+				l2tp_session_get(sock_net(sk), tunnel,
+						 stats.session_id, true);
+
+			if (session) {
+				err = pppol2tp_session_ioctl(session, cmd,
+							     arg);
+				if (session->deref)
+					session->deref(session);
+				l2tp_session_dec_refcount(session);
+			} else {
 				err = -EBADR;
+			}
 			break;
 		}
 #ifdef CONFIG_XFRM