diff --git a/features/FEATURE_LWIP/lwip-interface/emac_stack_lwip.cpp b/features/FEATURE_LWIP/lwip-interface/emac_stack_lwip.cpp
index 8042a81d2e..d543529fd6 100644
--- a/features/FEATURE_LWIP/lwip-interface/emac_stack_lwip.cpp
+++ b/features/FEATURE_LWIP/lwip-interface/emac_stack_lwip.cpp
@@ -80,4 +80,9 @@ uint32_t emac_stack_mem_chain_len(emac_stack_t* stack, emac_stack_mem_chain_t *c
     return ((struct pbuf*)chain)->tot_len;
 }
 
+void emac_stack_mem_ref(emac_stack_t* stack, emac_stack_mem_t *mem)
+{
+    pbuf_ref((struct pbuf*)mem);
+}
+
 #endif /* DEVICE_EMAC */
diff --git a/features/netsocket/emac_stack_mem.h b/features/netsocket/emac_stack_mem.h
index 5a4fbe3401..b407308fd5 100644
--- a/features/netsocket/emac_stack_mem.h
+++ b/features/netsocket/emac_stack_mem.h
@@ -96,6 +96,14 @@ emac_stack_mem_t *emac_stack_mem_chain_dequeue(emac_stack_t* stack, emac_stack_m
  */
 uint32_t emac_stack_mem_chain_len(emac_stack_t* stack, emac_stack_mem_chain_t *chain);
 
+/**
+ * Increases the reference counter for the memory
+ *
+ * @param  stack Emac stack context
+ * @param  mem   Memory structure
+ */
+void emac_stack_mem_ref(emac_stack_t* stack, emac_stack_mem_t *mem);
+
 #endif /* DEVICE_EMAC */
 
 #endif /* EMAC_MBED_STACK_MEM_h */