diff --git a/coreapi/linphonecore.c b/coreapi/linphonecore.c
index 7a0b53e0d..d6f4cafdf 100644
--- a/coreapi/linphonecore.c
+++ b/coreapi/linphonecore.c
@@ -7085,6 +7085,7 @@ LinphoneStatus linphone_core_add_to_conference(LinphoneCore *lc, LinphoneCall *c
 		LinphoneConferenceParams *params = linphone_conference_params_new(lc);
 		conference = linphone_core_create_conference_with_params(lc, params);
 		linphone_conference_params_unref(params);
+		linphone_conference_unref(conference); /*actually linphone_core_create_conference_with_params() takes a ref for lc->conf_ctx */
 	}
 	if(conference) return linphone_conference_add_participant(lc->conf_ctx, call);
 	else return -1;