diff --git a/src/ssb.connections.c b/src/ssb.connections.c
index 38d58174..c2cad022 100644
--- a/src/ssb.connections.c
+++ b/src/ssb.connections.c
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ static void _tf_ssb_connections_get_next_after_work(uv_work_t* work, int status)
 			tf_ssb_connect(next->ssb, next->host, next->port, key_bin);
 		}
 	}
+	tf_ssb_unref(next->ssb);
 	tf_free(next);
 }
 
@@ -123,6 +124,7 @@ static void _tf_ssb_connections_timer(uv_timer_t* timer)
 			.ssb = connections->ssb,
 			.connections = connections,
 		};
+		tf_ssb_ref(connections->ssb);
 		int result = uv_queue_work(tf_ssb_get_loop(connections->ssb), &next->work, _tf_ssb_connections_get_next_work, _tf_ssb_connections_get_next_after_work);
 		if (result)
 		{