diff --git a/gst/gstutils.c b/gst/gstutils.c
index 69458c05c6..a26bde6932 100644
--- a/gst/gstutils.c
+++ b/gst/gstutils.c
@@ -1363,11 +1363,13 @@ find_common_root (GstObject * o1, GstObject * o2)
       gst_object_unref (kid2);
       return root;
     }
+    gst_object_unref (root);
     root = kid2;
     if (!object_has_ancestor (o2, kid1, &kid2)) {
       gst_object_unref (kid1);
       return root;
     }
+    gst_object_unref (root);
     root = kid1;
   }
 }
diff --git a/tests/check/pipelines/parse-launch.c b/tests/check/pipelines/parse-launch.c
index 78a2ba4f65..091c747612 100644
--- a/tests/check/pipelines/parse-launch.c
+++ b/tests/check/pipelines/parse-launch.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ setup_pipeline (const gchar * pipe_descr)
   fail_unless (pipeline != NULL, "Failed to create pipeline %s", pipe_descr);
   /* Newly returned object should be floating reffed */
   fail_unless (g_object_is_floating (pipeline));
+  g_assert_cmpuint (G_OBJECT (pipeline)->ref_count, ==, 1);
   return pipeline;
 }