diff --git a/src/core/ev.c b/src/core/ev.c
index d7108a51..256f7fab 100644
--- a/src/core/ev.c
+++ b/src/core/ev.c
@@ -1412,6 +1412,7 @@ static void janet_ev_handle_selfpipe(void) {
     while (read(janet_vm.selfpipe[0], &response, sizeof(response)) > 0) {
         if (NULL != response.cb) {
             response.cb(response.msg);
+            janet_ev_dec_refcount();
         }
     }
 }
@@ -1472,6 +1473,7 @@ void janet_loop1_impl(int has_timeout, JanetTimestamp to) {
             if (NULL != response->cb) {
                 response->cb(response->msg);
             }
+            janet_ev_dec_refcount();
             janet_free(response);
         } else {
             /* Normal event */
@@ -1892,6 +1894,7 @@ void janet_ev_deinit(void) {
  */
 void janet_ev_post_event(JanetVM *vm, JanetCallback cb, JanetEVGenericMessage msg) {
     vm = vm ? vm : &janet_vm;
+    janet_atomic_inc(&vm->listener_count);
 #ifdef JANET_WINDOWS
     JanetHandle iocp = vm->iocp;
     JanetSelfPipeEvent *event = janet_malloc(sizeof(JanetSelfPipeEvent));
diff --git a/src/core/os.c b/src/core/os.c
index 460cb7eb..4ab083c0 100644
--- a/src/core/os.c
+++ b/src/core/os.c
@@ -517,7 +517,6 @@ static JanetEVGenericMessage janet_proc_wait_subr(JanetEVGenericMessage args) {
 
 /* Callback that is called in main thread when subroutine completes. */
 static void janet_proc_wait_cb(JanetEVGenericMessage args) {
-    janet_ev_dec_refcount();
     JanetProc *proc = (JanetProc *) args.argp;
     if (NULL != proc) {
         int status = args.tag;
@@ -827,7 +826,6 @@ static void janet_signal_callback(JanetEVGenericMessage msg) {
     JanetFunction *handler = janet_unwrap_function(handlerv);
     JanetFiber *fiber = janet_fiber(handler, 64, 0, NULL);
     janet_schedule_soon(fiber, janet_wrap_nil(), JANET_SIGNAL_OK);
-    janet_ev_dec_refcount();
 }
 
 static void janet_signal_trampoline_no_interrupt(int sig) {
@@ -836,7 +834,6 @@ static void janet_signal_trampoline_no_interrupt(int sig) {
     memset(&msg, 0, sizeof(msg));
     msg.tag = sig;
     janet_ev_post_event(&janet_vm, janet_signal_callback, msg);
-    janet_ev_inc_refcount();
 }
 
 static void janet_signal_trampoline(int sig) {
@@ -847,7 +844,6 @@ static void janet_signal_trampoline(int sig) {
     msg.argi = 1;
     janet_interpreter_interrupt(NULL);
     janet_ev_post_event(&janet_vm, janet_signal_callback, msg);
-    janet_ev_inc_refcount();
 }
 #endif