diff --git a/lib/isc/include/isc/atomic.h b/lib/isc/include/isc/atomic.h
index 34344e244b..420a947028 100644
--- a/lib/isc/include/isc/atomic.h
+++ b/lib/isc/include/isc/atomic.h
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@
 	atomic_fetch_or_explicit((o), (v), memory_order_release)
 #define atomic_exchange_acq_rel(o, v) \
 	atomic_exchange_explicit((o), (v), memory_order_acq_rel)
+#define atomic_fetch_sub_acq_rel(o, v) \
+	atomic_fetch_sub_explicit((o), (v), memory_order_acq_rel)
 #define atomic_compare_exchange_weak_acq_rel(o, e, d) \
 	atomic_compare_exchange_weak_explicit(        \
 		(o), (e), (d), memory_order_acq_rel, memory_order_acquire)
diff --git a/lib/isc/include/isc/refcount.h b/lib/isc/include/isc/refcount.h
index 74543d471f..6def63f8bd 100644
--- a/lib/isc/include/isc/refcount.h
+++ b/lib/isc/include/isc/refcount.h
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ isc_refcount_increment(isc_refcount_t *target) {
 static inline uint_fast32_t
 isc_refcount_decrement(isc_refcount_t *target) {
 	uint_fast32_t __v;
-	__v = (uint_fast32_t)atomic_fetch_sub_release(target, 1);
+	__v = (uint_fast32_t)atomic_fetch_sub_acq_rel(target, 1);
 	INSIST(__v > 0);
 	return (__v);
 }
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ isc_refcount_decrement(isc_refcount_t *target) {
 	({                                                 \
 		/* cppcheck-suppress shadowVariable */     \
 		uint_fast32_t __v;                         \
-		__v = atomic_fetch_sub_release(target, 1); \
+		__v = atomic_fetch_sub_acq_rel(target, 1); \
 		INSIST(__v > 0);                           \
 		__v;                                       \
 	})