diff --git a/playback/player/gtk/gtk-video-renderer.c b/playback/player/gtk/gtk-video-renderer.c
index c62af1cd64..f07d82403c 100644
--- a/playback/player/gtk/gtk-video-renderer.c
+++ b/playback/player/gtk/gtk-video-renderer.c
@@ -113,14 +113,12 @@ gst_player_gtk_video_renderer_init (GstPlayerGtkVideoRenderer * self)
     self->sink = sink;
   } else {
     gtk_sink = gst_element_factory_make ("gtksink", NULL);
-
-    self->sink = gst_object_ref (gtk_sink);
+    self->sink = gst_object_ref_sink (gtk_sink);
   }
 
   g_assert (self->sink != NULL);
 
   g_object_get (gtk_sink, "widget", &self->widget, NULL);
-  gst_object_unref (gtk_sink);
 }
 
 static GstElement *gst_player_gtk_video_renderer_create_video_sink