diff --git a/migration/savevm.c b/migration/savevm.c
index 6410705ebe..93387350c7 100644
--- a/migration/savevm.c
+++ b/migration/savevm.c
@@ -2174,6 +2174,7 @@ static void loadvm_postcopy_handle_run_bh(void *opaque)
     qemu_bh_delete(mis->bh);
 
     trace_vmstate_downtime_checkpoint("dst-postcopy-bh-vm-started");
+    object_unref(OBJECT(migration_get_current()));
 }
 
 /* After all discards we can start running and asking for pages */
@@ -2189,6 +2190,7 @@ static int loadvm_postcopy_handle_run(MigrationIncomingState *mis)
 
     postcopy_state_set(POSTCOPY_INCOMING_RUNNING);
     mis->bh = qemu_bh_new(loadvm_postcopy_handle_run_bh, mis);
+    object_ref(OBJECT(migration_get_current()));
     qemu_bh_schedule(mis->bh);
 
     /* We need to finish reading the stream from the package