diff --git a/src/xen/xen_driver.c b/src/xen/xen_driver.c
index 5273a115309234688aac51f7bb500c4ffd75989f..f2744b095d61ba60b2ecf3db18689b82168d0920 100644
--- a/src/xen/xen_driver.c
+++ b/src/xen/xen_driver.c
@@ -1502,9 +1502,6 @@ xenUnifiedDomainEventRegister (virConnectPtr conn,
     ret = virDomainEventCallbackListAdd(conn, priv->domainEventCallbacks,
                                         callback, opaque, freefunc);
 
-    if (ret == 0)
-        conn->refs++;
-
     xenUnifiedUnlock(priv);
     return (ret);
 }
@@ -1530,9 +1527,6 @@ xenUnifiedDomainEventDeregister (virConnectPtr conn,
         ret = virDomainEventCallbackListRemove(conn, priv->domainEventCallbacks,
                                                callback);
 
-    if (ret == 0)
-        virUnrefConnect(conn);
-
     xenUnifiedUnlock(priv);
     return ret;
 }