diff --git a/src/libabc.c b/src/libabc.c
index d6ef0b4..21e434b 100644
--- a/src/libabc.c
+++ b/src/libabc.c
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@
         if (thing->refcount > 0)
                 return NULL;
         dbg(thing->ctx, "context %p released\n", thing);
+        abc_unref(thing->ctx);
         free(thing);
         return NULL;
 }
@@ -269,7 +270,7 @@
                 return -ENOMEM;
 
         t->refcount = 1;
-        t->ctx = ctx;
+        t->ctx = abc_ref(ctx);
         *thing = t;
         return 0;
 }