diff --git a/legacy/evas/src/lib/canvas/evas_layer.c b/legacy/evas/src/lib/canvas/evas_layer.c
index 4b11f544fd..f6e1228da0 100644
--- a/legacy/evas/src/lib/canvas/evas_layer.c
+++ b/legacy/evas/src/lib/canvas/evas_layer.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ evas_object_inject(Evas_Object *obj, Evas *e)
 	evas_layer_add(lay);
      }
    lay->objects = evas_object_list_append(lay->objects, obj);
+   lay->usage++;
    obj->layer = lay;
    obj->in_layer = 1;
 }
@@ -24,9 +25,10 @@ evas_object_release(Evas_Object *obj, int clean_layer)
 {
    if (!obj->in_layer) return;
    obj->layer->objects = evas_object_list_remove(obj->layer->objects, obj);
+   obj->layer->usage--;
    if (clean_layer)
      {
-	if (!obj->layer->objects)
+	if (obj->layer->usage <= 0)
 	  {
 	     evas_layer_del(obj->layer);
 	     evas_layer_free(obj->layer);
diff --git a/legacy/evas/src/lib/canvas/evas_object_smart.c b/legacy/evas/src/lib/canvas/evas_object_smart.c
index 390c08b1bc..9caf490dc7 100644
--- a/legacy/evas/src/lib/canvas/evas_object_smart.c
+++ b/legacy/evas/src/lib/canvas/evas_object_smart.c
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ evas_object_smart_member_add(Evas_Object *obj, Evas_Object *smart_obj)
    evas_object_release(obj, 1);
    obj->layer = smart_obj->layer;
    obj->cur.layer = obj->layer->layer;
+   obj->layer->usage++;
    obj->smart.parent = smart_obj;
    smart_obj->smart.contained = evas_object_list_append(smart_obj->smart.contained, obj);
    evas_object_smart_member_cache_invalidate(obj);
@@ -163,6 +164,7 @@ evas_object_smart_member_del(Evas_Object *obj)
    obj->smart.parent->smart.contained = evas_object_list_remove(obj->smart.parent->smart.contained, obj);
    obj->smart.parent = NULL;
    evas_object_smart_member_cache_invalidate(obj);
+   obj->layer->usage--;
    obj->cur.layer = obj->layer->layer;
    evas_object_inject(obj, obj->layer->evas);
    obj->restack = 1;
diff --git a/legacy/evas/src/lib/include/evas_private.h b/legacy/evas/src/lib/include/evas_private.h
index c48a66a073..e3eff0b1ce 100644
--- a/legacy/evas/src/lib/include/evas_private.h
+++ b/legacy/evas/src/lib/include/evas_private.h
@@ -286,6 +286,7 @@ struct _Evas_Layer
    Evas             *evas;
 
    void             *engine_data;
+   int               usage;
    unsigned char     delete_me : 1;
 };