diff --git a/gdb/dwarf2/expr.c b/gdb/dwarf2/expr.c
index ef93b89aaa9..f2a1305713a 100644
--- a/gdb/dwarf2/expr.c
+++ b/gdb/dwarf2/expr.c
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ allocate_piece_closure (dwarf2_per_cu_data *per_cu,
 
   for (dwarf_expr_piece &piece : c->pieces)
     if (piece.location == DWARF_VALUE_STACK)
-      value_incref (piece.v.value);
+      piece.v.value->incref ();
 
   return c;
 }
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ free_pieced_value_closure (value *v)
     {
       for (dwarf_expr_piece &p : c->pieces)
 	if (p.location == DWARF_VALUE_STACK)
-	  value_decref (p.v.value);
+	  p.v.value->decref ();
 
       delete c;
     }
diff --git a/gdb/dwarf2/loc.c b/gdb/dwarf2/loc.c
index 0aa6aafe823..64a7e035b06 100644
--- a/gdb/dwarf2/loc.c
+++ b/gdb/dwarf2/loc.c
@@ -1280,7 +1280,7 @@ entry_data_value_coerce_ref (const struct value *value)
     return NULL;
 
   target_val = (struct value *) value->computed_closure ();
-  value_incref (target_val);
+  target_val->incref ();
   return target_val;
 }
 
@@ -1291,7 +1291,7 @@ entry_data_value_copy_closure (const struct value *v)
 {
   struct value *target_val = (struct value *) v->computed_closure ();
 
-  value_incref (target_val);
+  target_val->incref ();
   return target_val;
 }
 
@@ -1302,7 +1302,7 @@ entry_data_value_free_closure (struct value *v)
 {
   struct value *target_val = (struct value *) v->computed_closure ();
 
-  value_decref (target_val);
+  target_val->decref ();
 }
 
 /* Vector for methods for an entry value reference where the referenced value
diff --git a/gdb/guile/scm-value.c b/gdb/guile/scm-value.c
index 195fd3b8912..09b1ce30024 100644
--- a/gdb/guile/scm-value.c
+++ b/gdb/guile/scm-value.c
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ vlscm_free_value_smob (SCM self)
   value_smob *v_smob = (value_smob *) SCM_SMOB_DATA (self);
 
   vlscm_forget_value_smob (v_smob);
-  value_decref (v_smob->value);
+  v_smob->value->decref ();
 
   return 0;
 }
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ vlscm_scm_from_value_no_release (struct value *value)
   SCM v_scm = vlscm_make_value_smob ();
   value_smob *v_smob = (value_smob *) SCM_SMOB_DATA (v_scm);
 
-  value_incref (value);
+  value->incref ();
   v_smob->value = value;
   vlscm_remember_scheme_value (v_smob);
 
diff --git a/gdb/opencl-lang.c b/gdb/opencl-lang.c
index e4a88a23d49..81889b97e95 100644
--- a/gdb/opencl-lang.c
+++ b/gdb/opencl-lang.c
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ allocate_lval_closure (int *indices, int n, struct value *val)
   c->n = n;
   c->indices = XCNEWVEC (int, n);
   memcpy (c->indices, indices, n * sizeof (int));
-  value_incref (val); /* Increment the reference counter of the value.  */
+  val->incref (); /* Increment the reference counter of the value.  */
   c->val = val;
 
   return c;
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ lval_func_free_closure (struct value *v)
 
   if (c->refc == 0)
     {
-      value_decref (c->val); /* Decrement the reference counter of the value.  */
+      c->val->decref (); /* Decrement the reference counter of the value.  */
       xfree (c->indices);
       xfree (c);
     }
diff --git a/gdb/python/py-value.c b/gdb/python/py-value.c
index 465d8d92bd2..c2db2d58b0d 100644
--- a/gdb/python/py-value.c
+++ b/gdb/python/py-value.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ static void
 valpy_clear_value (value_object *self)
 {
   /* Indicate we are no longer interested in the value object.  */
-  value_decref (self->value);
+  self->value->decref ();
   self->value = nullptr;
 
   Py_CLEAR (self->address);
@@ -1806,7 +1806,7 @@ value_to_value_object_no_release (struct value *val)
   val_obj = PyObject_New (value_object, &value_object_type);
   if (val_obj != NULL)
     {
-      value_incref (val);
+      val->incref ();
       val_obj->value = val;
       val_obj->next = nullptr;
       val_obj->prev = nullptr;
diff --git a/gdb/value.c b/gdb/value.c
index 1b304e07204..bd2a2b88b2b 100644
--- a/gdb/value.c
+++ b/gdb/value.c
@@ -1319,28 +1319,17 @@ value_mark (void)
   return all_values.back ().get ();
 }
 
-/* See value.h.  */
-
-void
-value_incref (struct value *val)
-{
-  val->m_reference_count++;
-}
-
 /* Release a reference to VAL, which was acquired with value_incref.
    This function is also called to deallocate values from the value
    chain.  */
 
 void
-value_decref (struct value *val)
+value::decref ()
 {
-  if (val != nullptr)
-    {
-      gdb_assert (val->m_reference_count > 0);
-      val->m_reference_count--;
-      if (val->m_reference_count == 0)
-	delete val;
-    }
+  gdb_assert (m_reference_count > 0);
+  m_reference_count--;
+  if (m_reference_count == 0)
+    delete this;
 }
 
 /* Free all values allocated since MARK was obtained by value_mark
@@ -2147,7 +2136,7 @@ clear_internalvar (struct internalvar *var)
   switch (var->kind)
     {
     case INTERNALVAR_VALUE:
-      value_decref (var->u.value);
+      var->u.value->decref ();
       break;
 
     case INTERNALVAR_STRING:
diff --git a/gdb/value.h b/gdb/value.h
index c72bee07ca6..2d1c489e245 100644
--- a/gdb/value.h
+++ b/gdb/value.h
@@ -111,15 +111,6 @@ struct range
   }
 };
 
-/* Increase VAL's reference count.  */
-
-extern void value_incref (struct value *val);
-
-/* Decrease VAL's reference count.  When the reference count drops to
-   0, VAL will be freed.  */
-
-extern void value_decref (struct value *val);
-
 /* A policy class to interface gdb::ref_ptr with struct value.  */
 
 struct value_ref_policy
@@ -454,6 +445,14 @@ struct value
 
   int bits_synthetic_pointer (LONGEST offset, LONGEST length) const;
 
+  /* Increase this value's reference count.  */
+  void incref ()
+  { ++m_reference_count; }
+
+  /* Decrease this value's reference count.  When the reference count
+     drops to 0, it will be freed.  */
+  void decref ();
+
 
   /* Type of value; either not an lval, or one of the various
      different possible kinds of lval.  */
@@ -639,13 +638,13 @@ struct value
 inline void
 value_ref_policy::incref (struct value *ptr)
 {
-  value_incref (ptr);
+  ptr->incref ();
 }
 
 inline void
 value_ref_policy::decref (struct value *ptr)
 {
-  value_decref (ptr);
+  ptr->decref ();
 }
 
 /* Returns value_type or value_enclosing_type depending on
