diff --git a/src/libei.c b/src/libei.c
index 76d4587..7fe9a62 100644
--- a/src/libei.c
+++ b/src/libei.c
@@ -285,8 +285,10 @@ queue_event(struct ei *ei, struct ei_event *event)
 		break;
 	case EI_EVENT_FRAME:
 		/* silently discard empty frames */
-		if (list_empty(&device->pending_event_queue))
+		if (list_empty(&device->pending_event_queue)) {
+			ei_event_unref(event);
 			return;
+		}
 
 		struct ei_event *pending;
 		list_for_each_safe(pending, &device->pending_event_queue, link) {
diff --git a/src/libeis.c b/src/libeis.c
index a83d465..002ee7b 100644
--- a/src/libeis.c
+++ b/src/libeis.c
@@ -216,8 +216,10 @@ eis_queue_event(struct eis_event *event)
 		break;
 	case EIS_EVENT_FRAME: {
 		/* silently discard empty frames */
-		if (list_empty(&device->pending_event_queue))
+		if (list_empty(&device->pending_event_queue)) {
+			eis_event_unref(event);
 			return;
+		}
 
 		struct eis_event *pending;
 		list_for_each_safe(pending, &device->pending_event_queue, link) {