diff --git a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_mempool.c b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_mempool.c
index 146693d7ff0..a6b00e0e0fc 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_mempool.c
+++ b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_mempool.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ void
 panvk_bo_pool_cleanup(struct panvk_bo_pool *bo_pool)
 {
    util_dynarray_foreach(&bo_pool->free_bos, struct panvk_priv_bo *, bo)
-      panvk_priv_bo_destroy(*bo, NULL);
+      panvk_priv_bo_unref(*bo);
 
    util_dynarray_fini(&bo_pool->free_bos);
 }
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ panvk_pool_alloc_backing(struct panvk_pool *pool, size_t bo_sz)
        * flags to this function and keep the read/write,
        * fragment/vertex+tiler pools separate.
        */
-      bo = panvk_priv_bo_create(pool->dev, bo_sz, pool->create_flags, NULL,
+      bo = panvk_priv_bo_create(pool->dev, bo_sz, pool->create_flags,
                                 VK_SYSTEM_ALLOCATION_SCOPE_DEVICE);
    }
 
@@ -139,11 +139,11 @@ panvk_pool_reset(struct panvk_pool *pool)
              num_bos * sizeof(struct panvk_priv_bo *));
    } else {
       util_dynarray_foreach(&pool->bos, struct panvk_priv_bo *, bo)
-         panvk_priv_bo_destroy(*bo, NULL);
+         panvk_priv_bo_unref(*bo);
    }
 
    util_dynarray_foreach(&pool->big_bos, struct panvk_priv_bo *, bo)
-      panvk_priv_bo_destroy(*bo, NULL);
+      panvk_priv_bo_unref(*bo);
 
    util_dynarray_clear(&pool->bos);
    util_dynarray_clear(&pool->big_bos);
diff --git a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_priv_bo.c b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_priv_bo.c
index efcc04e1e41..b4981d7291f 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_priv_bo.c
+++ b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_priv_bo.c
@@ -16,12 +16,11 @@
 
 struct panvk_priv_bo *
 panvk_priv_bo_create(struct panvk_device *dev, size_t size, uint32_t flags,
-                     const struct VkAllocationCallbacks *alloc,
                      VkSystemAllocationScope scope)
 {
    int ret;
    struct panvk_priv_bo *priv_bo =
-      vk_zalloc2(&dev->vk.alloc, alloc, sizeof(*priv_bo), 8, scope);
+      vk_zalloc(&dev->vk.alloc, sizeof(*priv_bo), 8, scope);
 
    if (!priv_bo)
       return NULL;
@@ -65,6 +64,8 @@ panvk_priv_bo_create(struct panvk_device *dev, size_t size, uint32_t flags,
                             NULL);
    }
 
+   p_atomic_set(&priv_bo->refcnt, 1);
+
    return priv_bo;
 
 err_munmap_bo:
@@ -77,17 +78,13 @@ err_put_bo:
    pan_kmod_bo_put(bo);
 
 err_free_priv_bo:
-   vk_free2(&dev->vk.alloc, alloc, priv_bo);
+   vk_free(&dev->vk.alloc, priv_bo);
    return NULL;
 }
 
-void
-panvk_priv_bo_destroy(struct panvk_priv_bo *priv_bo,
-                      const VkAllocationCallbacks *alloc)
+static void
+panvk_priv_bo_destroy(struct panvk_priv_bo *priv_bo)
 {
-   if (!priv_bo)
-      return;
-
    struct panvk_device *dev = priv_bo->dev;
 
    if (dev->debug.decode_ctx) {
@@ -112,5 +109,14 @@ panvk_priv_bo_destroy(struct panvk_priv_bo *priv_bo,
    }
 
    pan_kmod_bo_put(priv_bo->bo);
-   vk_free2(&dev->vk.alloc, alloc, priv_bo);
+   vk_free(&dev->vk.alloc, priv_bo);
+}
+
+void
+panvk_priv_bo_unref(struct panvk_priv_bo *priv_bo)
+{
+   if (!priv_bo || p_atomic_dec_return(&priv_bo->refcnt))
+      return;
+
+   panvk_priv_bo_destroy(priv_bo);
 }
diff --git a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_priv_bo.h b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_priv_bo.h
index 381027c795a..e9b93dde454 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_priv_bo.h
+++ b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_priv_bo.h
@@ -8,12 +8,15 @@
 
 #include <vulkan/vulkan_core.h>
 
+#include "util/u_atomic.h"
+
 #include "panfrost-job.h"
 
 struct panvk_kmod_bo;
 
 /* Used for internal object allocation. */
 struct panvk_priv_bo {
+   uint64_t refcnt;
    struct panvk_device *dev;
    struct pan_kmod_bo *bo;
    struct {
@@ -24,10 +27,16 @@ struct panvk_priv_bo {
 
 struct panvk_priv_bo *panvk_priv_bo_create(struct panvk_device *dev,
                                            size_t size, uint32_t flags,
-                                           const VkAllocationCallbacks *alloc,
                                            VkSystemAllocationScope scope);
 
-void panvk_priv_bo_destroy(struct panvk_priv_bo *bo,
-                           const VkAllocationCallbacks *alloc);
+static inline struct panvk_priv_bo *
+panvk_priv_bo_ref(struct panvk_priv_bo *bo)
+{
+   assert(p_atomic_read(&bo->refcnt) > 0);
+   p_atomic_inc(&bo->refcnt);
+   return bo;
+}
+
+void panvk_priv_bo_unref(struct panvk_priv_bo *bo);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_buffer_view.c b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_buffer_view.c
index 9d45a671d6b..694322f9572 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_buffer_view.c
+++ b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_buffer_view.c
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ panvk_per_arch(CreateBufferView)(VkDevice _device,
 
       unsigned bo_size = GENX(panfrost_estimate_texture_payload_size)(&pview);
 
-      view->bo = panvk_priv_bo_create(device, bo_size, 0, pAllocator,
+      view->bo = panvk_priv_bo_create(device, bo_size, 0,
                                       VK_SYSTEM_ALLOCATION_SCOPE_OBJECT);
 
       struct panfrost_ptr ptr = {
@@ -151,6 +151,6 @@ panvk_per_arch(DestroyBufferView)(VkDevice _device, VkBufferView bufferView,
    if (!view)
       return;
 
-   panvk_priv_bo_destroy(view->bo, pAllocator);
+   panvk_priv_bo_unref(view->bo);
    vk_buffer_view_destroy(&device->vk, pAllocator, &view->vk);
 }
diff --git a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_descriptor_set.c b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_descriptor_set.c
index a5dff33688c..cbff0b198f6 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_descriptor_set.c
+++ b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_descriptor_set.c
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ panvk_destroy_descriptor_pool(struct panvk_device *device,
 
    if (pool->desc_bo) {
       util_vma_heap_finish(&pool->desc_heap);
-      panvk_priv_bo_destroy(pool->desc_bo, NULL);
+      panvk_priv_bo_unref(pool->desc_bo);
    }
 
    vk_object_free(&device->vk, pAllocator, pool);
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ panvk_per_arch(CreateDescriptorPool)(
       desc_count += pool->max_sets;
 
       uint64_t pool_size = desc_count * PANVK_DESCRIPTOR_SIZE;
-      pool->desc_bo = panvk_priv_bo_create(device, pool_size, 0, NULL,
+      pool->desc_bo = panvk_priv_bo_create(device, pool_size, 0,
                                            VK_SYSTEM_ALLOCATION_SCOPE_OBJECT);
       if (!pool->desc_bo) {
          panvk_destroy_descriptor_pool(device, pAllocator, pool);
diff --git a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_device.c b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_device.c
index 744dd045173..377dd4fba17 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_device.c
+++ b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_device.c
@@ -131,11 +131,11 @@ panvk_per_arch(create_device)(struct panvk_physical_device *physical_device,
    device->tiler_heap = panvk_priv_bo_create(
       device, 128 * 1024 * 1024,
       PAN_KMOD_BO_FLAG_NO_MMAP | PAN_KMOD_BO_FLAG_ALLOC_ON_FAULT,
-      &device->vk.alloc, VK_SYSTEM_ALLOCATION_SCOPE_DEVICE);
-
-   device->sample_positions = panvk_priv_bo_create(
-      device, panfrost_sample_positions_buffer_size(), 0, &device->vk.alloc,
       VK_SYSTEM_ALLOCATION_SCOPE_DEVICE);
+
+   device->sample_positions =
+      panvk_priv_bo_create(device, panfrost_sample_positions_buffer_size(), 0,
+                           VK_SYSTEM_ALLOCATION_SCOPE_DEVICE);
    panfrost_upload_sample_positions(device->sample_positions->addr.host);
 
    vk_device_set_drm_fd(&device->vk, device->kmod.dev->fd);
@@ -182,8 +182,8 @@ fail:
 
    panvk_per_arch(meta_cleanup)(device);
    panvk_per_arch(blend_shader_cache_cleanup)(device);
-   panvk_priv_bo_destroy(device->tiler_heap, &device->vk.alloc);
-   panvk_priv_bo_destroy(device->sample_positions, &device->vk.alloc);
+   panvk_priv_bo_unref(device->tiler_heap);
+   panvk_priv_bo_unref(device->sample_positions);
    pan_kmod_vm_destroy(device->kmod.vm);
    pan_kmod_dev_destroy(device->kmod.dev);
 
@@ -207,8 +207,8 @@ panvk_per_arch(destroy_device)(struct panvk_device *device,
 
    panvk_per_arch(meta_cleanup)(device);
    panvk_per_arch(blend_shader_cache_cleanup)(device);
-   panvk_priv_bo_destroy(device->tiler_heap, &device->vk.alloc);
-   panvk_priv_bo_destroy(device->sample_positions, &device->vk.alloc);
+   panvk_priv_bo_unref(device->tiler_heap);
+   panvk_priv_bo_unref(device->sample_positions);
    pan_kmod_vm_destroy(device->kmod.vm);
 
    if (device->debug.decode_ctx)
diff --git a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_image_view.c b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_image_view.c
index 077bb39e9c2..8a8296bb785 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_image_view.c
+++ b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_image_view.c
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ panvk_per_arch(CreateImageView)(VkDevice _device,
 
       unsigned bo_size = GENX(panfrost_estimate_texture_payload_size)(&pview);
 
-      view->bo = panvk_priv_bo_create(device, bo_size, 0, pAllocator,
+      view->bo = panvk_priv_bo_create(device, bo_size, 0,
                                       VK_SYSTEM_ALLOCATION_SCOPE_OBJECT);
 
       struct panfrost_ptr ptr = {
@@ -221,6 +221,6 @@ panvk_per_arch(DestroyImageView)(VkDevice _device, VkImageView _view,
    if (!view)
       return;
 
-   panvk_priv_bo_destroy(view->bo, NULL);
+   panvk_priv_bo_unref(view->bo);
    vk_image_view_destroy(&device->vk, pAllocator, &view->vk);
 }