--- a/ecm_interface.c
+++ b/ecm_interface.c
@@ -339,9 +339,9 @@ static struct net_device *ecm_interface_
 
 	ECM_IP_ADDR_TO_NIN6_ADDR(addr6, addr);
 #if (LINUX_VERSION_CODE < KERNEL_VERSION(5, 9, 0))
-	dev = (struct net_device *)ipv6_dev_find(&init_net, &addr6, 1);
+	dev = (struct net_device *)ipv6_dev_find_and_hold(&init_net, &addr6, 1);
 #else
-	dev = (struct net_device *)ipv6_dev_find(&init_net, &addr6, NULL);
+	dev = (struct net_device *)ipv6_dev_find_and_hold(&init_net, &addr6, 1);
 #endif
 	return dev;
 }
@@ -802,9 +802,9 @@ static bool ecm_interface_mac_addr_get_i
 	 */
 	ECM_IP_ADDR_TO_NIN6_ADDR(daddr, addr);
 #if (LINUX_VERSION_CODE < KERNEL_VERSION(5, 9, 0))
-	local_dev = ipv6_dev_find(&init_net, &daddr, 1);
+	local_dev = ipv6_dev_find_and_hold(&init_net, &daddr, 1);
 #else
-	local_dev = ipv6_dev_find(&init_net, &daddr, NULL);
+	local_dev = ipv6_dev_find_and_hold(&init_net, &daddr, 1);
 #endif
 	if (local_dev) {
 		DEBUG_TRACE("%pi6 is a local address\n", &daddr);
--- a/frontends/ecm_front_end_common.c
+++ b/frontends/ecm_front_end_common.c
@@ -103,6 +103,10 @@
 #endif
 #endif
 
+#ifdef ECM_IPV6_ENABLE
+#include "ecm_front_end_ipv6.h"
+#endif
+
 #ifdef ECM_FRONT_END_FSE_ENABLE
 /*
  * Callback object for ECM frontend interaction with wlan driver to add/delete FSE rules.
@@ -614,9 +618,9 @@ bool ecm_front_end_gre_proto_is_accel_al
 	} else {
 #ifdef ECM_IPV6_ENABLE
 #if (LINUX_VERSION_CODE < KERNEL_VERSION(5, 9, 0))
-		dev = ipv6_dev_find(&init_net, &(orig_tuple->src.u3.in6), 1);
+		dev = ipv6_dev_find_and_hold(&init_net, &(orig_tuple->src.u3.in6), 1);
 #else
-		dev = ipv6_dev_find(&init_net, &(orig_tuple->src.u3.in6), NULL);
+		dev = ipv6_dev_find_and_hold(&init_net, &(orig_tuple->src.u3.in6), 1);
 #endif
 		if (dev) {
 			/*
@@ -628,9 +632,9 @@ bool ecm_front_end_gre_proto_is_accel_al
 		}
 
 #if (LINUX_VERSION_CODE < KERNEL_VERSION(5, 9, 0))
-		dev = ipv6_dev_find(&init_net, &(orig_tuple->dst.u3.in6), 1);
+		dev = ipv6_dev_find_and_hold(&init_net, &(orig_tuple->dst.u3.in6), 1);
 #else
-		dev = ipv6_dev_find(&init_net, &(orig_tuple->dst.u3.in6), NULL);
+		dev = ipv6_dev_find_and_hold(&init_net, &(orig_tuple->dst.u3.in6), 1);
 #endif
 		if (dev) {
 			/*