diff --git a/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_bo.c b/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_bo.c
index e6b37c9f225..0666195868b 100644
--- a/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_bo.c
+++ b/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_bo.c
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ fd_bo_mark_for_dump(struct fd_bo *bo)
 struct fd_bo *
 fd_bo_ref(struct fd_bo *bo)
 {
-   p_atomic_inc(&bo->refcnt);
+   ref(&bo->refcnt);
    return bo;
 }
 
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ bo_del_or_recycle(struct fd_bo *bo)
 void
 fd_bo_del(struct fd_bo *bo)
 {
-   if (!p_atomic_dec_zero(&bo->refcnt))
+   if (!unref(&bo->refcnt))
       return;
 
    struct fd_device *dev = bo->dev;
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ fd_bo_del_array(struct fd_bo **bos, unsigned count)
    unsigned cnt = 0;
 
    for (unsigned i = 0; i < count; i++) {
-      if (!p_atomic_dec_zero(&bos[i]->refcnt))
+      if (!unref(&bos[i]->refcnt))
          continue;
       if (cnt == ARRAY_SIZE(handles)) {
          close_handles(dev, handles, cnt);
diff --git a/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_device.c b/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_device.c
index a862c6f5d94..a51b1336e5f 100644
--- a/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_device.c
+++ b/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_device.c
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ fd_device_open(void)
 struct fd_device *
 fd_device_ref(struct fd_device *dev)
 {
-   p_atomic_inc(&dev->refcnt);
+   ref(&dev->refcnt);
    return dev;
 }
 
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ fd_device_purge(struct fd_device *dev)
 void
 fd_device_del(struct fd_device *dev)
 {
-   if (!p_atomic_dec_zero(&dev->refcnt))
+   if (!unref(&dev->refcnt))
       return;
 
    assert(list_is_empty(&dev->deferred_submits));
diff --git a/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_ringbuffer.c b/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_ringbuffer.c
index 6737e526565..48cd84ad0bf 100644
--- a/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_ringbuffer.c
+++ b/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_ringbuffer.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ fd_submit_new(struct fd_pipe *pipe)
 void
 fd_submit_del(struct fd_submit *submit)
 {
-   if (!p_atomic_dec_zero(&submit->refcnt))
+   if (!unref(&submit->refcnt))
       return;
 
    if (submit->primary)
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ fd_submit_del(struct fd_submit *submit)
 struct fd_submit *
 fd_submit_ref(struct fd_submit *submit)
 {
-   p_atomic_inc(&submit->refcnt);
+   ref(&submit->refcnt);
    return submit;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_ringbuffer.h b/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_ringbuffer.h
index fe961e9b7b6..7acb70c0254 100644
--- a/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_ringbuffer.h
+++ b/src/freedreno/drm/freedreno_ringbuffer.h
@@ -139,10 +139,33 @@ struct fd_ringbuffer {
 struct fd_ringbuffer *fd_ringbuffer_new_object(struct fd_pipe *pipe,
                                                uint32_t size);
 
+/*
+ * Helpers for ref/unref with some extra debugging.. unref() returns true if
+ * the object is still live
+ */
+
+static inline void
+ref(int32_t *ref)
+{
+   ASSERTED int32_t count = p_atomic_inc_return(ref);
+   /* We should never see a refcnt transition 0->1, this is a sign of a
+    * zombie coming back from the dead!
+    */
+   assert(count != 1);
+}
+
+static inline bool
+unref(int32_t *ref)
+{
+   int32_t count = p_atomic_dec_return(ref);
+   assert(count != -1);
+   return count == 0;
+}
+
 static inline void
 fd_ringbuffer_del(struct fd_ringbuffer *ring)
 {
-   if (!p_atomic_dec_zero(&ring->refcnt))
+   if (!unref(&ring->refcnt))
       return;
 
    ring->funcs->destroy(ring);
@@ -151,7 +174,7 @@ fd_ringbuffer_del(struct fd_ringbuffer *ring)
 static inline struct fd_ringbuffer *
 fd_ringbuffer_ref(struct fd_ringbuffer *ring)
 {
-   p_atomic_inc(&ring->refcnt);
+   ref(&ring->refcnt);
    return ring;
 }