diff --git a/src/bin/e_client.c b/src/bin/e_client.c
index df194973c..8fbb206e3 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_client.c
+++ b/src/bin/e_client.c
@@ -618,11 +618,12 @@ _e_client_del(E_Client *ec)
         else
           {
              if (!ec->exe_inst->deleted)
-               ec->exe_inst->clients = eina_list_remove(ec->exe_inst->clients, ec);
+               {
+                  ec->exe_inst->clients = eina_list_remove(ec->exe_inst->clients, ec);
+                  ec->exe_inst = NULL;
+               }
           }
      }
-   if (ec->exe_inst && (!ec->exe_inst->deleted))
-     ec->exe_inst = NULL;
 
    _e_client_mouse_action_end(ec);
    if (action_client == ec) _e_client_action_finish();
diff --git a/src/bin/e_exec.c b/src/bin/e_exec.c
index e157163f8..7bfcc36ce 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_exec.c
+++ b/src/bin/e_exec.c
@@ -612,6 +612,7 @@ _e_exec_instance_free(E_Exec_Instance *inst)
      {
         inst->deleted = 1;
         inst->ref++;
+        E_LIST_FOREACH(inst->clients, e_object_ref);
         ecore_event_add(E_EVENT_EXEC_DEL, inst, _e_exec_cb_exec_del_free, inst);
         return EINA_FALSE;
      }
@@ -622,6 +623,7 @@ _e_exec_instance_free(E_Exec_Instance *inst)
    EINA_LIST_FREE(inst->clients, ec)
      {
         ec->exe_inst = NULL;
+        e_object_unref(E_OBJECT(ec));
      }
    if (inst->desktop) efreet_desktop_free(inst->desktop);
    if (!inst->phony)