diff --git a/src/rpc/virkeepalive.c b/src/rpc/virkeepalive.c
index c9faf885901edc2fe361b19374c36821a47346f0..4f666fd09b64f93baf8ca8f468556fc6653c0784 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virkeepalive.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virkeepalive.c
@@ -160,17 +160,17 @@ virKeepAliveTimer(int timer ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED, void *opaque)
     bool dead;
     void *client;
 
+    virObjectRef(ka);
     virObjectLock(ka);
 
     client = ka->client;
     dead = virKeepAliveTimerInternal(ka, &msg);
 
+    virObjectUnlock(ka);
+
     if (!dead && !msg)
         goto cleanup;
 
-    virObjectRef(ka);
-    virObjectUnlock(ka);
-
     if (dead) {
         ka->deadCB(client);
     } else if (ka->sendCB(client, msg) < 0) {
@@ -178,11 +178,8 @@ virKeepAliveTimer(int timer ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED, void *opaque)
         virNetMessageFree(msg);
     }
 
-    virObjectLock(ka);
-    virObjectUnref(ka);
-
  cleanup:
-    virObjectUnlock(ka);
+    virObjectUnref(ka);
 }