diff --git a/src/supplicant/nm-supplicant-interface.c b/src/supplicant/nm-supplicant-interface.c
index 6edeef682a..42179246c8 100644
--- a/src/supplicant/nm-supplicant-interface.c
+++ b/src/supplicant/nm-supplicant-interface.c
@@ -947,6 +947,7 @@ set_state_down (NMSupplicantInterface *self,
                 gboolean force_remove_from_supplicant,
                 const char *reason)
 {
+	_nm_unused gs_unref_object NMSupplicantInterface *self_keep_alive = g_object_ref (self);
 	NMSupplicantInterfacePrivate *priv = NM_SUPPLICANT_INTERFACE_GET_PRIVATE (self);
 	NMSupplicantBssInfo *bss_info;
 	NMSupplicantPeerInfo *peer_info;
diff --git a/src/supplicant/nm-supplicant-manager.c b/src/supplicant/nm-supplicant-manager.c
index e66a778934..cf5cf11163 100644
--- a/src/supplicant/nm-supplicant-manager.c
+++ b/src/supplicant/nm-supplicant-manager.c
@@ -1053,6 +1053,10 @@ _supp_iface_remove_one (NMSupplicantManager *self,
                         gboolean force_remove_from_supplicant,
                         const char *reason)
 {
+#if NM_MORE_ASSERTS
+	_nm_unused gs_unref_object NMSupplicantInterface *supp_iface_keep_alive = g_object_ref (supp_iface);
+#endif
+
 	nm_assert (NM_IS_SUPPLICANT_MANAGER (self));
 	nm_assert (NM_IS_SUPPLICANT_INTERFACE (supp_iface));
 	nm_assert (c_list_contains (&NM_SUPPLICANT_MANAGER_GET_PRIVATE (self)->supp_lst_head, &supp_iface->supp_lst));