diff --git a/include/linux/cgroup.h b/include/linux/cgroup.h
index 618838c48313cd..b886d3d41bdf53 100644
--- a/include/linux/cgroup.h
+++ b/include/linux/cgroup.h
@@ -400,8 +400,19 @@ static inline bool css_is_dying(struct cgroup_subsys_state *css)
  */
 static inline void css_put(struct cgroup_subsys_state *css)
 {
-	if (!(css->flags & CSS_NO_REF))
+
+	if (percpu_ref_is_zero(&css->refcnt)) {
+printk("!!! css_put is ALREADY zero css %llx !!!\n", css);
+	}
+
+	if (!(css->flags & CSS_NO_REF)) {
 		percpu_ref_put(&css->refcnt);
+
+		if (percpu_ref_is_zero(&css->refcnt)) {
+printk("!!! css_put is zero set CSS_NO_REF css %llx !!!\n", css);
+			css->flags |= CSS_NO_REF;
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 /**
@@ -413,8 +424,18 @@ static inline void css_put(struct cgroup_subsys_state *css)
  */
 static inline void css_put_many(struct cgroup_subsys_state *css, unsigned int n)
 {
-	if (!(css->flags & CSS_NO_REF))
+	if (percpu_ref_is_zero(&css->refcnt)) {
+printk("!!! css_put_many is ALREADY zero css %llx !!!\n", css);
+	}
+
+	if (!(css->flags & CSS_NO_REF)) {
 		percpu_ref_put_many(&css->refcnt, n);
+
+		if (percpu_ref_is_zero(&css->refcnt)) {
+printk("!!! css_put_many is zero set CSS_NO_REF css %llx !!!\n", css);
+			css->flags |= CSS_NO_REF;
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 static inline void cgroup_get(struct cgroup *cgrp)
diff --git a/kernel/cgroup/cgroup.c b/kernel/cgroup/cgroup.c
index 0853289d321a53..05f3efa272be81 100644
--- a/kernel/cgroup/cgroup.c
+++ b/kernel/cgroup/cgroup.c
@@ -2162,6 +2162,7 @@ static void cgroup_kill_sb(struct super_block *sb)
 	struct kernfs_root *kf_root = kernfs_root_from_sb(sb);
 	struct cgroup_root *root = cgroup_root_from_kf(kf_root);
 
+printk("!!! cgroup_kill_sb killing css %llx !!!\n", root->cgrp.self);
 	/*
 	 * If @root doesn't have any children, start killing it.
 	 * This prevents new mounts by disabling percpu_ref_tryget_live().
@@ -5108,6 +5109,7 @@ static void css_release(struct percpu_ref *ref)
 	struct cgroup_subsys_state *css =
 		container_of(ref, struct cgroup_subsys_state, refcnt);
 
+printk("!!! css_release css %llx !!!\n", css);
 	INIT_WORK(&css->destroy_work, css_release_work_fn);
 	queue_work(cgroup_destroy_wq, &css->destroy_work);
 }
@@ -5197,6 +5199,7 @@ static struct cgroup_subsys_state *css_create(struct cgroup *cgrp,
 	struct cgroup_subsys_state *css;
 	int err;
 
+printk("!!! css_create !!!\n");
 	lockdep_assert_held(&cgroup_mutex);
 
 	css = ss->css_alloc(parent_css);
@@ -5477,6 +5480,7 @@ static void css_killed_ref_fn(struct percpu_ref *ref)
 		container_of(ref, struct cgroup_subsys_state, refcnt);
 
 	if (atomic_dec_and_test(&css->online_cnt)) {
+printk("!!! css_killed_ref_fn css %llx !!!\n", css);
 		INIT_WORK(&css->destroy_work, css_killed_work_fn);
 		queue_work(cgroup_destroy_wq, &css->destroy_work);
 	}
@@ -5556,6 +5560,7 @@ static int cgroup_destroy_locked(struct cgroup *cgrp)
 	struct cgroup_subsys_state *css;
 	struct cgrp_cset_link *link;
 	int ssid;
+printk("!!! cgroup_destroy_locked !!!\n");
 
 	lockdep_assert_held(&cgroup_mutex);
 
@@ -5573,7 +5578,6 @@ static int cgroup_destroy_locked(struct cgroup *cgrp)
 	 */
 	if (css_has_online_children(&cgrp->self))
 		return -EBUSY;
-
 	/*
 	 * Mark @cgrp and the associated csets dead.  The former prevents
 	 * further task migration and child creation by disabling
@@ -5588,8 +5592,15 @@ static int cgroup_destroy_locked(struct cgroup *cgrp)
 	spin_unlock_irq(&css_set_lock);
 
 	/* initiate massacre of all css's */
-	for_each_css(css, ssid, cgrp)
+	for_each_css(css, ssid, cgrp) {
+printk("!!! cgroup_destroy_locked kill all css'es !!!\n");
+		if (css == &cgrp->self) {
+printk("!!! cgroup_destroy_locked skipping css %llx !!!\n", css);
+			continue;
+		}
+
 		kill_css(css);
+	}
 
 	/* clear and remove @cgrp dir, @cgrp has an extra ref on its kn */
 	css_clear_dir(&cgrp->self);
@@ -5616,6 +5627,7 @@ static int cgroup_destroy_locked(struct cgroup *cgrp)
 	cgroup_bpf_offline(cgrp);
 
 	/* put the base reference */
+printk("!!! cgroup_destroy_locked killing css %llx !!!\n", &cgrp->self);
 	percpu_ref_kill(&cgrp->self.refcnt);
 
 	return 0;