diff --git a/src/flow-worker.c b/src/flow-worker.c
index 984b81a875c..3b7c69be803 100644
--- a/src/flow-worker.c
+++ b/src/flow-worker.c
@@ -390,6 +390,9 @@ static inline void FlowWorkerStreamTCPUpdate(ThreadVars *tv, FlowWorkerThreadDat
 
         OutputLoggerLog(tv, x, fw->output_thread);
 
+        /* no need to keep a flow ref beyond this point */
+        FlowDeReference(&x->flow);
+
         if (timeout) {
             PacketPoolReturnPacket(x);
         } else {