diff --git a/src/fsm.c b/src/fsm.c
index 5a7b36c2e..97b54f6ba 100644
--- a/src/fsm.c
+++ b/src/fsm.c
@@ -510,8 +510,7 @@ void
 ni_ifworker_array_append(ni_ifworker_array_t *array, ni_ifworker_t *w)
 {
 	array->data = realloc(array->data, (array->count + 1) * sizeof(array->data[0]));
-	array->data[array->count++] = w;
-	w->refcount++;
+	array->data[array->count++] = ni_ifworker_get(w);
 }
 
 int