diff --git a/mm/z3fold.c b/mm/z3fold.c
index b2ba2ba..39e1912 100644
--- a/mm/z3fold.c
+++ b/mm/z3fold.c
@@ -404,8 +404,7 @@ static void do_compact_page(struct z3fold_header *zhdr, bool locked)
 		WARN_ON(z3fold_page_trylock(zhdr));
 	else
 		z3fold_page_lock(zhdr);
-	if (test_bit(PAGE_STALE, &page->private) ||
-	    !test_and_clear_bit(NEEDS_COMPACTING, &page->private)) {
+	if (WARN_ON(!test_and_clear_bit(NEEDS_COMPACTING, &page->private))) {
 		z3fold_page_unlock(zhdr);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -413,6 +412,11 @@ static void do_compact_page(struct z3fold_header *zhdr, bool locked)
 	list_del_init(&zhdr->buddy);
 	spin_unlock(&pool->lock);
 
+	if (kref_put(&zhdr->refcount, release_z3fold_page_locked)) {
+		atomic64_dec(&pool->pages_nr);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	z3fold_compact_page(zhdr);
 	unbuddied = get_cpu_ptr(pool->unbuddied);
 	fchunks = num_free_chunks(zhdr);
@@ -753,9 +757,11 @@ static void z3fold_free(struct z3fold_pool *pool, unsigned long handle)
 		list_del_init(&zhdr->buddy);
 		spin_unlock(&pool->lock);
 		zhdr->cpu = -1;
+		kref_get(&zhdr->refcount);
 		do_compact_page(zhdr, true);
 		return;
 	}
+	kref_get(&zhdr->refcount);
 	queue_work_on(zhdr->cpu, pool->compact_wq, &zhdr->work);
 	z3fold_page_unlock(zhdr);
 }