diff --git a/net/tipc/ref.c b/net/tipc/ref.c
index 1853cca..89cbab2 100644
--- a/net/tipc/ref.c
+++ b/net/tipc/ref.c
@@ -36,30 +36,18 @@
 
 #include "core.h"
 #include "ref.h"
-#include "port.h"
-#include "subscr.h"
-#include "name_distr.h"
-#include "name_table.h"
-#include "config.h"
-#include "discover.h"
-#include "bearer.h"
-#include "node.h"
-#include "bcast.h"
 
 /**
  * struct reference - TIPC object reference entry
  * @object: pointer to object associated with reference entry
  * @lock: spinlock controlling access to object
- * @data: reference value for object (combines instance & array index info)
+ * @ref: reference value for object (combines instance & array index info)
  */
 
 struct reference {
 	void *object;
 	spinlock_t lock;
-	union {
-		u32 next_plus_upper;
-		u32 reference;
-	} data;
+	u32 ref;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -165,7 +153,7 @@
 	u32 index;
 	u32 index_mask;
 	u32 next_plus_upper;
-	u32 reference;
+	u32 ref;
 
 	if (!object) {
 		err("Attempt to acquire reference to non-existent object\n");
@@ -185,10 +173,10 @@
 		index_mask = tipc_ref_table.index_mask;
 		/* take lock in case a previous user of entry still holds it */
 		spin_lock_bh(&entry->lock);
-		next_plus_upper = entry->data.next_plus_upper;
+		next_plus_upper = entry->ref;
 		tipc_ref_table.first_free = next_plus_upper & index_mask;
-		reference = (next_plus_upper & ~index_mask) + index;
-		entry->data.reference = reference;
+		ref = (next_plus_upper & ~index_mask) + index;
+		entry->ref = ref;
 		entry->object = object;
 		spin_unlock_bh(&entry->lock);
 		*lock = &entry->lock;
@@ -197,17 +185,17 @@
 		index = tipc_ref_table.init_point++;
 		entry = &(tipc_ref_table.entries[index]);
 		spin_lock_init(&entry->lock);
-		reference = tipc_ref_table.start_mask + index;
-		entry->data.reference = reference;
+		ref = tipc_ref_table.start_mask + index;
+		entry->ref = ref;
 		entry->object = object;
 		*lock = &entry->lock;
 	}
 	else {
-		reference = 0;
+		ref = 0;
 	}
 	write_unlock_bh(&ref_table_lock);
 
-	return reference;
+	return ref;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -238,26 +226,25 @@
 		err("Attempt to discard reference to non-existent object\n");
 		goto exit;
 	}
-	if (entry->data.reference != ref) {
+	if (entry->ref != ref) {
 		err("Attempt to discard non-existent reference\n");
 		goto exit;
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * mark entry as unused; increment upper bits of entry's data field
+	 * mark entry as unused; increment instance part of entry's reference
 	 * to invalidate any subsequent references
 	 */
 
 	entry->object = NULL;
-	entry->data.next_plus_upper = (ref & ~index_mask) + (index_mask + 1);
+	entry->ref = (ref & ~index_mask) + (index_mask + 1);
 
 	/* append entry to free entry list */
 
 	if (tipc_ref_table.first_free == 0)
 		tipc_ref_table.first_free = index;
 	else
-		tipc_ref_table.entries[tipc_ref_table.last_free].
-			data.next_plus_upper |= index;
+		tipc_ref_table.entries[tipc_ref_table.last_free].ref |= index;
 	tipc_ref_table.last_free = index;
 
 exit:
@@ -271,15 +258,15 @@
 void *tipc_ref_lock(u32 ref)
 {
 	if (likely(tipc_ref_table.entries)) {
-		struct reference *r;
+		struct reference *entry;
 
-		r = &tipc_ref_table.entries[ref & tipc_ref_table.index_mask];
-
-		if (likely(r->data.reference != 0)) {
-			spin_lock_bh(&r->lock);
-			if (likely((r->data.reference == ref) && (r->object)))
-				return r->object;
-			spin_unlock_bh(&r->lock);
+		entry = &tipc_ref_table.entries[ref &
+						tipc_ref_table.index_mask];
+		if (likely(entry->ref != 0)) {
+			spin_lock_bh(&entry->lock);
+			if (likely((entry->ref == ref) && (entry->object)))
+				return entry->object;
+			spin_unlock_bh(&entry->lock);
 		}
 	}
 	return NULL;
@@ -292,15 +279,14 @@
 void tipc_ref_unlock(u32 ref)
 {
 	if (likely(tipc_ref_table.entries)) {
-		struct reference *r;
+		struct reference *entry;
 
-		r = &tipc_ref_table.entries[ref & tipc_ref_table.index_mask];
-
-		if (likely((r->data.reference == ref) && (r->object)))
-			spin_unlock_bh(&r->lock);
+		entry = &tipc_ref_table.entries[ref &
+						tipc_ref_table.index_mask];
+		if (likely((entry->ref == ref) && (entry->object)))
+			spin_unlock_bh(&entry->lock);
 		else
-			err("tipc_ref_unlock() invoked using "
-			    "invalid reference\n");
+			err("Attempt to unlock non-existent reference\n");
 	}
 }
 
@@ -311,11 +297,12 @@
 void *tipc_ref_deref(u32 ref)
 {
 	if (likely(tipc_ref_table.entries)) {
-		struct reference *r;
+		struct reference *entry;
 
-		r = &tipc_ref_table.entries[ref & tipc_ref_table.index_mask];
-		if (likely(r->data.reference == ref))
-			return r->object;
+		entry = &tipc_ref_table.entries[ref &
+						tipc_ref_table.index_mask];
+		if (likely(entry->ref == ref))
+			return entry->object;
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }