diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ipv6.go b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ipv6.go
index ff5b44653..fc8e56871 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ipv6.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ipv6.go
@@ -2196,7 +2196,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) acquireOutgoingPrimaryAddressRLocked(remoteAddr tcpip.Address
 	// Return the most preferred address that can have its reference count
 	// incremented.
 	for _, c := range cs {
-		if c.addressEndpoint.IncRef() {
+		if c.addressEndpoint.TryIncRef() {
 			return c.addressEndpoint
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/addressable_endpoint_state.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/addressable_endpoint_state.go
index 40be2e6a9..f472bbf0a 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/addressable_endpoint_state.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/addressable_endpoint_state.go
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ func (a *AddressableEndpointState) acquirePrimaryAddressRLocked(remoteAddr tcpip
 				bestLen = stateLen
 			}
 		}
-		if best != nil && best.IncRef() {
+		if best != nil && best.TryIncRef() {
 			return best
 		}
 	}
@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ func (a *AddressableEndpointState) acquirePrimaryAddressRLocked(remoteAddr tcpip
 		}
 
 		if !ep.Deprecated() {
-			if ep.IncRef() {
+			if ep.TryIncRef() {
 				// ep is not deprecated, so return it immediately.
 				//
 				// If we kept track of a deprecated endpoint, decrement its reference
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ func (a *AddressableEndpointState) acquirePrimaryAddressRLocked(remoteAddr tcpip
 
 				return ep
 			}
-		} else if deprecatedEndpoint == nil && ep.IncRef() {
+		} else if deprecatedEndpoint == nil && ep.TryIncRef() {
 			// We prefer an endpoint that is not deprecated, but we keep track of
 			// ep in case a doesn't have any non-deprecated endpoints.
 			//
@@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ func (a *AddressableEndpointState) AcquireAssignedAddressOrMatching(localAddr tc
 				return nil
 			}
 
-			if !addrState.IncRef() {
+			if !addrState.TryIncRef() {
 				panic(fmt.Sprintf("failed to increase the reference count for address = %s", addrState.addr))
 			}
 
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ func (a *AddressableEndpointState) AcquireAssignedAddressOrMatching(localAddr tc
 
 		if f != nil {
 			for _, addrState := range a.endpoints {
-				if addrState.IsAssigned(allowTemp) && f(addrState) && addrState.IncRef() {
+				if addrState.IsAssigned(allowTemp) && f(addrState) && addrState.TryIncRef() {
 					return addrState
 				}
 			}
@@ -805,7 +805,7 @@ func (a *addressState) IsAssigned(allowExpired bool) bool {
 }
 
 // IncRef implements AddressEndpoint.
-func (a *addressState) IncRef() bool {
+func (a *addressState) TryIncRef() bool {
 	return a.refs.TryIncRef()
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/addressable_endpoint_state_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/addressable_endpoint_state_test.go
index 056c6470c..1d320c430 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/addressable_endpoint_state_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/addressable_endpoint_state_test.go
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func TestAddressDispatcherExpiredToAssigned(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("s.AddAndAcquirePermanentAddress(%s, {}): %s", addr, err)
 	}
 	defer ep.DecRef()
-	if !ep.IncRef() {
+	if !ep.TryIncRef() {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to increase ref count of address endpoint")
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/registration.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/registration.go
index 4cd720820..bbfe1a797 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/registration.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/registration.go
@@ -534,11 +534,11 @@ type AssignableAddressEndpoint interface {
 	// to its NetworkEndpoint.
 	IsAssigned(allowExpired bool) bool
 
-	// IncRef increments this endpoint's reference count.
+	// TryIncRef tries to increment this endpoint's reference count.
 	//
 	// Returns true if it was successfully incremented. If it returns false, then
 	// the endpoint is considered expired and should no longer be used.
-	IncRef() bool
+	TryIncRef() bool
 
 	// DecRef decrements this endpoint's reference count.
 	DecRef()
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/route.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/route.go
index 9755362af..32ce9a7f0 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/route.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/route.go
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ func (r *Route) Acquire() {
 // +checklocksread:r.mu
 func (r *Route) acquireLocked() {
 	if ep := r.localAddressEndpoint; ep != nil {
-		if !ep.IncRef() {
+		if !ep.TryIncRef() {
 			panic(fmt.Sprintf("failed to increment reference count for local address endpoint = %s", r.LocalAddress()))
 		}
 	}