diff --git a/src/pipewire/private.h b/src/pipewire/private.h
index ce49af6c5..e2bf55365 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/private.h
+++ b/src/pipewire/private.h
@@ -1091,6 +1091,7 @@ int pw_control_remove_link(struct pw_control_link *link);
 void pw_control_destroy(struct pw_control *control);
 
 void pw_proxy_unref(struct pw_proxy *proxy);
+void pw_proxy_ref(struct pw_proxy *proxy);
 
 #define PW_LOG_OBJECT_POD	(1<<0)
 void pw_log_log_object(enum spa_log_level level, const char *file, int line,
diff --git a/src/pipewire/proxy.c b/src/pipewire/proxy.c
index 2a6d78189..cd3aaa581 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/proxy.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/proxy.c
@@ -297,6 +297,13 @@ void pw_proxy_unref(struct pw_proxy *proxy)
 	free(proxy);
 }
 
+SPA_EXPORT
+void pw_proxy_ref(struct pw_proxy *proxy)
+{
+	assert(proxy->refcount > 0);
+	proxy->refcount++;
+}
+
 SPA_EXPORT
 int pw_proxy_sync(struct pw_proxy *proxy, int seq)
 {