diff --git a/src/plugins/splash/script/script-execute.c b/src/plugins/splash/script/script-execute.c
index 2b8c0868..f2edcccf 100644
--- a/src/plugins/splash/script/script-execute.c
+++ b/src/plugins/splash/script/script-execute.c
@@ -366,6 +366,8 @@ static script_obj* script_evaluate_var (script_state* state, script_exp* exp)
 {
  char* name = exp->data.string;
  script_obj* obj;
+ script_obj_deref(&state->global);
+ script_obj_deref(&state->local);
  assert (state->global->type == SCRIPT_OBJ_TYPE_HASH);
  assert (state->local->type == SCRIPT_OBJ_TYPE_HASH);