diff --git a/src/bin/e_exec.c b/src/bin/e_exec.c
index da293a8be..851058ddc 100644
--- a/src/bin/e_exec.c
+++ b/src/bin/e_exec.c
@@ -280,6 +280,7 @@ e_exec_phony(E_Client *ec)
    lnew = eina_list_append(l, inst);
    if (l) eina_hash_modify(e_exec_instances, inst->key, lnew);
    else eina_hash_add(e_exec_instances, inst->key, lnew);
+   inst->ref++;
    ecore_event_add(E_EVENT_EXEC_NEW, inst, _e_exec_cb_exec_new_free, inst);
    e_exec_instance_client_add(inst, ec);
    return inst;
@@ -361,6 +362,7 @@ e_exec_instance_client_add(E_Exec_Instance *inst, E_Client *ec)
    e_object_ref(E_OBJECT(ec));
    ec->exe_inst = inst;
    inst->ref++;
+   ecore_event_add(E_EVENT_EXEC_NEW_CLIENT, inst, _e_exec_cb_exec_new_client_free, ec);
 }
 
 E_API void