diff --git a/src/compositor/meta-window-actor.c b/src/compositor/meta-window-actor.c
index ddffae3ea..83fcb49b6 100644
--- a/src/compositor/meta-window-actor.c
+++ b/src/compositor/meta-window-actor.c
@@ -497,6 +497,12 @@ meta_window_actor_dispose (GObject *object)
 
   info->windows = g_list_remove (info->windows, (gconstpointer) self);
 
+  if (priv->window)
+    {
+      g_object_unref (priv->window);
+      priv->window = NULL;
+    }
+
   /*
    * Release the extra reference we took on the actor.
    */
@@ -529,7 +535,11 @@ meta_window_actor_set_property (GObject      *object,
   switch (prop_id)
     {
     case PROP_META_WINDOW:
-      priv->window = g_value_get_object (value);
+      {
+        if (priv->window)
+          g_object_unref (priv->window);
+        priv->window = g_value_dup_object (value);
+      }
       break;
     case PROP_META_SCREEN:
       priv->screen = g_value_get_pointer (value);