diff --git a/arch/Kconfig b/arch/Kconfig
index 03cff3c16b1c..6ba7bbb16c68 100644
--- a/arch/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/Kconfig
@@ -1027,4 +1027,13 @@ config REFCOUNT_FULL
 	  against various use-after-free conditions that can be used in
 	  security flaw exploits.
 
+config PANIC_ON_REFCOUNT_ERROR
+	bool "Kernel panic on refcount error detection"
+	depends on REFCOUNT_FULL
+	help
+	  If enabled, the kernel will panic when the refcount library
+	  has detected any type of error (e.g. potential use-after-free
+	  or potential memory-leaks) with an object associated with that
+	  reference counter.
+
 source "kernel/gcov/Kconfig"
diff --git a/lib/refcount.c b/lib/refcount.c
index 0eb48353abe3..6d0d2fc7de13 100644
--- a/lib/refcount.c
+++ b/lib/refcount.c
@@ -38,6 +38,18 @@
 #include <linux/refcount.h>
 #include <linux/bug.h>
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_PANIC_ON_REFCOUNT_ERROR
+#define REFCOUNT_WARN_ONCE(cond, msg) \
+do { \
+	if (cond) { \
+		printk(msg); \
+		BUG(); \
+	} \
+} while (0)
+#else
+#define REFCOUNT_WARN_ONCE(cond, msg) WARN_ONCE(cond, msg)
+#endif /* CONFIG_PANIC_ON_REFCOUNT_ERROR */
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_REFCOUNT_FULL
 
 /**
@@ -75,7 +87,8 @@ bool refcount_add_not_zero(unsigned int i, refcount_t *r)
 
 	} while (!atomic_try_cmpxchg_relaxed(&r->refs, &val, new));
 
-	WARN_ONCE(new == UINT_MAX, "refcount_t: saturated; leaking memory.\n");
+	REFCOUNT_WARN_ONCE(new == UINT_MAX,
+			   "refcount_t: saturated; leaking memory.\n");
 
 	return true;
 }
@@ -99,7 +112,8 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(refcount_add_not_zero);
  */
 void refcount_add(unsigned int i, refcount_t *r)
 {
-	WARN_ONCE(!refcount_add_not_zero(i, r), "refcount_t: addition on 0; use-after-free.\n");
+	REFCOUNT_WARN_ONCE(!refcount_add_not_zero(i, r),
+			   "refcount_t: addition on 0; use-after-free.\n");
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(refcount_add);
 
@@ -130,7 +144,8 @@ bool refcount_inc_not_zero(refcount_t *r)
 
 	} while (!atomic_try_cmpxchg_relaxed(&r->refs, &val, new));
 
-	WARN_ONCE(new == UINT_MAX, "refcount_t: saturated; leaking memory.\n");
+	REFCOUNT_WARN_ONCE(new == UINT_MAX,
+			   "refcount_t: saturated; leaking memory.\n");
 
 	return true;
 }
@@ -150,7 +165,8 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(refcount_inc_not_zero);
  */
 void refcount_inc(refcount_t *r)
 {
-	WARN_ONCE(!refcount_inc_not_zero(r), "refcount_t: increment on 0; use-after-free.\n");
+	REFCOUNT_WARN_ONCE(!refcount_inc_not_zero(r),
+			   "refcount_t: increment on 0; use-after-free.\n");
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(refcount_inc);
 
@@ -184,7 +200,8 @@ bool refcount_sub_and_test(unsigned int i, refcount_t *r)
 
 		new = val - i;
 		if (new > val) {
-			WARN_ONCE(new > val, "refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free.\n");
+			REFCOUNT_WARN_ONCE(new > val,
+				"refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free.\n");
 			return false;
 		}
 
@@ -225,7 +242,8 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(refcount_dec_and_test);
  */
 void refcount_dec(refcount_t *r)
 {
-	WARN_ONCE(refcount_dec_and_test(r), "refcount_t: decrement hit 0; leaking memory.\n");
+	REFCOUNT_WARN_ONCE(refcount_dec_and_test(r),
+			   "refcount_t: decrement hit 0; leaking memory.\n");
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(refcount_dec);
 #endif /* CONFIG_REFCOUNT_FULL */
@@ -278,7 +296,8 @@ bool refcount_dec_not_one(refcount_t *r)
 
 		new = val - 1;
 		if (new > val) {
-			WARN_ONCE(new > val, "refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free.\n");
+			REFCOUNT_WARN_ONCE(new > val,
+				"refcount_t: underflow; use-after-free.\n");
 			return true;
 		}