diff --git a/common/refcount.h b/common/refcount.h
index 18f4b109e..436f85307 100644
--- a/common/refcount.h
+++ b/common/refcount.h
@@ -28,11 +28,13 @@
     {                                                                          \
         if(*item && --(*item)->refcount <= 0)                                  \
             dtor(item);                                                        \
+        *item = NULL;                                                          \
     }                                                                          \
                                                                                \
-    static inline void prefix##_ref(type **item)                               \
+    static inline type *prefix##_ref(type **item)                              \
     {                                                                          \
         (*item)->refcount++;                                                   \
+        return *item;                                                          \
     }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/keybinding.c b/keybinding.c
index 97bfe0f6d..788189eaf 100644
--- a/keybinding.c
+++ b/keybinding.c
@@ -103,10 +103,7 @@ luaA_keybinding_add(lua_State *L)
         if(key == *k)
             luaL_error(L, "keybinding already added");
 
-    keybinding_list_push(&globalconf.keys, *k);
-
-    keybinding_ref(k);
-
+    keybinding_list_push(&globalconf.keys, keybinding_ref(k));
     window_root_grabkey(*k);
 
     return 0;
@@ -124,10 +121,8 @@ luaA_keybinding_remove(lua_State *L)
     keybinding_t **k = luaA_checkudata(L, 1, "keybinding");
 
     keybinding_list_detach(&globalconf.keys, *k);
-
-    keybinding_unref(k);
-
     window_root_ungrabkey(*k);
+    keybinding_unref(k);
 
     return 0;
 }