diff --git a/tools/gst-launch.c b/tools/gst-launch.c
index d43a30ebf5..61a17a40ae 100644
--- a/tools/gst-launch.c
+++ b/tools/gst-launch.c
@@ -922,7 +922,6 @@ bus_sync_handler (GstBus * bus, GstMessage * message, gpointer data)
         s1 = gst_context_get_structure (context_new);
         s2 = gst_context_writable_structure (context);
         gst_structure_foreach (s1, merge_structures, s2);
-        gst_context_unref (context);
       } else {
         /* Copy over the context */
         gst_context_replace (&context, context_new);