diff --git a/src/mesa/drivers/dri/i965/brw_wm_surface_state.c b/src/mesa/drivers/dri/i965/brw_wm_surface_state.c
index 8175fbf0db4..f1defb3f148 100644
--- a/src/mesa/drivers/dri/i965/brw_wm_surface_state.c
+++ b/src/mesa/drivers/dri/i965/brw_wm_surface_state.c
@@ -1685,6 +1685,11 @@ brw_upload_cs_work_groups_surface(struct brw_context *brw)
                                     ISL_FORMAT_RAW,
                                     3 * sizeof(GLuint), 1,
                                     RELOC_WRITE);
+
+      /* The state buffer now holds a reference to our upload, drop ours. */
+      if (bo != brw->compute.num_work_groups_bo)
+         brw_bo_unreference(bo);
+
       brw->ctx.NewDriverState |= BRW_NEW_SURFACES;
    }
 }