diff --git a/scheds/c/scx_flatcg.bpf.c b/scheds/c/scx_flatcg.bpf.c
index 389bea204..3e84cf7fa 100644
--- a/scheds/c/scx_flatcg.bpf.c
+++ b/scheds/c/scx_flatcg.bpf.c
@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@ struct cgv_node {
 	struct bpf_rb_node	rb_node;
 	__u64			cvtime;
 	__u64			cgid;
-	struct bpf_refcount	refcount;
 };
 
 private(CGV_TREE) struct bpf_spin_lock cgv_tree_lock;
@@ -289,17 +288,14 @@ static void cgrp_enqueued(struct cgroup *cgrp, struct fcg_cgrp_ctx *cgc)
 	}
 
 	stash = bpf_map_lookup_elem(&cgv_node_stash, &cgid);
-	if (!stash || !stash->node) {
+	if (!stash) {
 		scx_bpf_error("cgv_node lookup failed for cgid %llu", cgid);
 		return;
 	}
 
-	cgv_node = bpf_refcount_acquire(stash->node);
+	/* NULL if the node is already on the rbtree */
+	cgv_node = bpf_kptr_xchg(&stash->node, NULL);
 	if (!cgv_node) {
-		/*
-		 * Node never leaves cgv_node_stash, this should only happen if
-		 * fcg_cgroup_exit deletes the stashed node
-		 */
 		stat_inc(FCG_STAT_ENQ_RACE);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -612,6 +608,7 @@ void BPF_STRUCT_OPS(fcg_cgroup_set_weight, struct cgroup *cgrp, u32 weight)
 static bool try_pick_next_cgroup(u64 *cgidp)
 {
 	struct bpf_rb_node *rb_node;
+	struct cgv_node_stash *stash;
 	struct cgv_node *cgv_node;
 	struct fcg_cgrp_ctx *cgc;
 	struct cgroup *cgrp;
@@ -695,6 +692,12 @@ static bool try_pick_next_cgroup(u64 *cgidp)
 	return true;
 
 out_stash:
+	stash = bpf_map_lookup_elem(&cgv_node_stash, &cgid);
+	if (!stash) {
+		stat_inc(FCG_STAT_PNC_GONE);
+		goto out_free;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Paired with cmpxchg in cgrp_enqueued(). If they see the following
 	 * transition, they'll enqueue the cgroup. If they are earlier, we'll
@@ -707,9 +710,16 @@ static bool try_pick_next_cgroup(u64 *cgidp)
 		bpf_rbtree_add(&cgv_tree, &cgv_node->rb_node, cgv_node_less);
 		bpf_spin_unlock(&cgv_tree_lock);
 		stat_inc(FCG_STAT_PNC_RACE);
-		return false;
+	} else {
+		cgv_node = bpf_kptr_xchg(&stash->node, cgv_node);
+		if (cgv_node) {
+			scx_bpf_error("unexpected !NULL cgv_node stash");
+			goto out_free;
+		}
 	}
 
+	return false;
+
 out_free:
 	bpf_obj_drop(cgv_node);
 	return false;