diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/cuda/gstcudautils.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/cuda/gstcudautils.c
index 68888a6973..62a82978d0 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/cuda/gstcudautils.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/cuda/gstcudautils.c
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@ gst_cuda_ensure_element_context (GstElement * element, gint device_id,
         context, *cuda_ctx);
     msg = gst_message_new_have_context (GST_OBJECT_CAST (element), context);
     gst_element_post_message (GST_ELEMENT_CAST (element), msg);
+    gst_context_unref (context);
   }
 
   return TRUE;