diff --git a/panels/background/cc-background-xml.c b/panels/background/cc-background-xml.c
index 520d647a0..868d19de4 100644
--- a/panels/background/cc-background-xml.c
+++ b/panels/background/cc-background-xml.c
@@ -316,6 +316,7 @@ cc_background_xml_load_xml_internal (CcBackgroundXml *xml,
         emit_added_in_idle (xml, g_object_ref (item));
       else
         g_signal_emit (G_OBJECT (xml), signals[ADDED], 0, item);
+      g_object_unref (item);
       retval = TRUE;
     }
   }