diff --git a/lib/kobject.c b/lib/kobject.c
index a654866..b7e29a6 100644
--- a/lib/kobject.c
+++ b/lib/kobject.c
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@
 	return kobj;
 }
 
-static struct kobject *kobject_get_unless_zero(struct kobject *kobj)
+static struct kobject * __must_check kobject_get_unless_zero(struct kobject *kobj)
 {
 	if (!kref_get_unless_zero(&kobj->kref))
 		kobj = NULL;