diff --git a/src/shell-app.c b/src/shell-app.c
index 17b179cba..d4fe30b0f 100644
--- a/src/shell-app.c
+++ b/src/shell-app.c
@@ -1115,13 +1115,14 @@ _shell_app_remove_window (ShellApp   *app,
   g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (window, G_CALLBACK(shell_app_on_unmanaged), app);
   g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (window, G_CALLBACK(shell_app_on_user_time_changed), app);
   g_signal_handlers_disconnect_by_func (window, G_CALLBACK(shell_app_on_skip_taskbar_changed), app);
-  g_object_unref (window);
   app->running_state->windows = g_slist_remove (app->running_state->windows, window);
 
   if (!meta_window_is_skip_taskbar (window))
     app->running_state->interesting_windows--;
   shell_app_sync_running_state (app);
 
+  g_object_unref (window);
+
   if (app->running_state->windows == NULL)
     g_clear_pointer (&app->running_state, unref_running_state);