diff --git a/ospf6d/ospf6_lsa.c b/ospf6d/ospf6_lsa.c
index 9e7479c797..058284f5e9 100644
--- a/ospf6d/ospf6_lsa.c
+++ b/ospf6d/ospf6_lsa.c
@@ -601,10 +601,10 @@ struct ospf6_lsa *ospf6_lsa_copy(struct ospf6_lsa *lsa)
 }
 
 /* increment reference counter of struct ospf6_lsa */
-void ospf6_lsa_lock(struct ospf6_lsa *lsa)
+struct ospf6_lsa *ospf6_lsa_lock(struct ospf6_lsa *lsa)
 {
 	lsa->lock++;
-	return;
+	return lsa;
 }
 
 /* decrement reference counter of struct ospf6_lsa */
diff --git a/ospf6d/ospf6_lsa.h b/ospf6d/ospf6_lsa.h
index a85d7b0603..cd873e2f00 100644
--- a/ospf6d/ospf6_lsa.h
+++ b/ospf6d/ospf6_lsa.h
@@ -226,8 +226,8 @@ ospf6_lsa_create_headeronly(struct ospf6_lsa_header *header);
 extern void ospf6_lsa_delete(struct ospf6_lsa *lsa);
 extern struct ospf6_lsa *ospf6_lsa_copy(struct ospf6_lsa *);
 
-extern void ospf6_lsa_lock(struct ospf6_lsa *);
-extern struct ospf6_lsa *ospf6_lsa_unlock(struct ospf6_lsa *);
+extern struct ospf6_lsa *ospf6_lsa_lock(struct ospf6_lsa *lsa);
+extern struct ospf6_lsa *ospf6_lsa_unlock(struct ospf6_lsa *lsa);
 
 extern int ospf6_lsa_expire(struct thread *);
 extern int ospf6_lsa_refresh(struct thread *);