diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 93a503eddf..0888db5e3a 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+Thu Jan 15 01:16:05 GMT 2009  John Levon  <levon@movementarian.org>
+
+	* src/xen_unified.c: Fix ref-counting for Xen driver event
+	registration
+
 Wed Jan 14 17:30:54 GMT 2009  John Levon  <levon@movementarian.org>
 
 	* docs/devhelp/Makefile.am: Fix devhelp build dependencies
diff --git a/src/xen_unified.c b/src/xen_unified.c
index a4e8d32cee..1d39c4e4f2 100644
--- a/src/xen_unified.c
+++ b/src/xen_unified.c
@@ -1359,15 +1359,21 @@ xenUnifiedDomainEventRegister (virConnectPtr conn,
                                void *opaque,
                                void (*freefunc)(void *))
 {
+    int ret;
+
     GET_PRIVATE (conn);
     if (priv->xsWatch == -1) {
         xenUnifiedError (conn, VIR_ERR_NO_SUPPORT, __FUNCTION__);
         return -1;
     }
 
-    conn->refs++;
-    return virDomainEventCallbackListAdd(conn, priv->domainEventCallbacks,
-                                         callback, opaque, freefunc);
+    ret = virDomainEventCallbackListAdd(conn, priv->domainEventCallbacks,
+                                        callback, opaque, freefunc);
+
+    if (ret == 0)
+        conn->refs++;
+
+    return (ret);
 }
 
 static int
@@ -1382,8 +1388,10 @@ xenUnifiedDomainEventDeregister (virConnectPtr conn,
     }
 
     ret = virDomainEventCallbackListRemove(conn, priv->domainEventCallbacks,
-                                            callback);
-    virUnrefConnect(conn);
+                                           callback);
+
+    if (ret == 0)
+        virUnrefConnect(conn);
     return ret;
 }