diff --git a/include/linux/bpf_verifier.h b/include/linux/bpf_verifier.h
index 879195f7fb05..169df564bf92 100644
--- a/include/linux/bpf_verifier.h
+++ b/include/linux/bpf_verifier.h
@@ -178,6 +178,17 @@ struct bpf_reference_state {
 	 * is used purely to inform the user of a reference leak.
 	 */
 	int insn_idx;
+	/* There can be a case like:
+	 * main (frame 0)
+	 *  cb (frame 1)
+	 *   func (frame 3)
+	 *    cb (frame 4)
+	 * Hence for frame 4, if callback_ref just stored boolean, it would be
+	 * impossible to distinguish nested callback refs. Hence store the
+	 * frameno and compare that to callback_ref in check_reference_leak when
+	 * exiting a callback function.
+	 */
+	int callback_ref;
 };
 
 /* state of the program:
diff --git a/kernel/bpf/verifier.c b/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
index 9ff7dde5ec9e..b8d8f6d90860 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
@@ -809,6 +809,7 @@ static int acquire_reference_state(struct bpf_verifier_env *env, int insn_idx)
 	id = ++env->id_gen;
 	state->refs[new_ofs].id = id;
 	state->refs[new_ofs].insn_idx = insn_idx;
+	state->refs[new_ofs].callback_ref = state->in_callback_fn ? state->frameno : 0;
 
 	return id;
 }
@@ -821,6 +822,9 @@ static int release_reference_state(struct bpf_func_state *state, int ptr_id)
 	last_idx = state->acquired_refs - 1;
 	for (i = 0; i < state->acquired_refs; i++) {
 		if (state->refs[i].id == ptr_id) {
+			/* Cannot release caller references in callbacks */
+			if (state->in_callback_fn && state->refs[i].callback_ref != state->frameno)
+				return -EINVAL;
 			if (last_idx && i != last_idx)
 				memcpy(&state->refs[i], &state->refs[last_idx],
 				       sizeof(*state->refs));
@@ -5434,10 +5438,17 @@ static int prepare_func_exit(struct bpf_verifier_env *env, int *insn_idx)
 		caller->regs[BPF_REG_0] = *r0;
 	}
 
-	/* Transfer references to the caller */
-	err = transfer_reference_state(caller, callee);
-	if (err)
-		return err;
+	/* callback_fn frame should have released its own additions to parent's
+	 * reference state at this point, or check_reference_leak would
+	 * complain, hence it must be the same as the caller. There is no need
+	 * to copy it back.
+	 */
+	if (!callee->in_callback_fn) {
+		/* Transfer references to the caller */
+		err = transfer_reference_state(caller, callee);
+		if (err)
+			return err;
+	}
 
 	*insn_idx = callee->callsite + 1;
 	if (env->log.level & BPF_LOG_LEVEL) {
@@ -5556,13 +5567,20 @@ record_func_key(struct bpf_verifier_env *env, struct bpf_call_arg_meta *meta,
 static int check_reference_leak(struct bpf_verifier_env *env)
 {
 	struct bpf_func_state *state = cur_func(env);
+	bool refs_lingering = false;
 	int i;
 
+	if (state->frameno && !state->in_callback_fn)
+		return 0;
+
 	for (i = 0; i < state->acquired_refs; i++) {
+		if (state->in_callback_fn && state->refs[i].callback_ref != state->frameno)
+			continue;
 		verbose(env, "Unreleased reference id=%d alloc_insn=%d\n",
 			state->refs[i].id, state->refs[i].insn_idx);
+		refs_lingering = true;
 	}
-	return state->acquired_refs ? -EINVAL : 0;
+	return refs_lingering ? -EINVAL : 0;
 }
 
 static int check_helper_call(struct bpf_verifier_env *env, struct bpf_insn *insn,
@@ -10291,6 +10309,16 @@ static int do_check(struct bpf_verifier_env *env)
 					return -EINVAL;
 				}
 
+				/* We must do check_reference_leak here before
+				 * prepare_func_exit to handle the case when
+				 * state->curframe > 0, it may be a callback
+				 * function, for which reference_state must
+				 * match caller reference state when it exits.
+				 */
+				err = check_reference_leak(env);
+				if (err)
+					return err;
+
 				if (state->curframe) {
 					/* exit from nested function */
 					err = prepare_func_exit(env, &env->insn_idx);
@@ -10300,10 +10328,6 @@ static int do_check(struct bpf_verifier_env *env)
 					continue;
 				}
 
-				err = check_reference_leak(env);
-				if (err)
-					return err;
-
 				err = check_return_code(env);
 				if (err)
 					return err;