diff --git a/coreapi/account_creator.c b/coreapi/account_creator.c
index 1163914b3..222568552 100644
--- a/coreapi/account_creator.c
+++ b/coreapi/account_creator.c
@@ -243,8 +243,12 @@ void linphone_account_creator_cbs_set_update_account(LinphoneAccountCreatorCbs *
 static void _linphone_account_creator_destroy(LinphoneAccountCreator *creator) {
 	/*this will drop all pending requests if any*/
 	if (creator->xmlrpc_session) linphone_xml_rpc_session_release(creator->xmlrpc_session);
-	if (creator->service != NULL && linphone_account_creator_service_get_destructor_cb(creator->service) != NULL)
-		linphone_account_creator_service_get_destructor_cb(creator->service)(creator);
+	if (creator->service != NULL ) {
+			if (linphone_account_creator_service_get_destructor_cb(creator->service) != NULL)
+				linphone_account_creator_service_get_destructor_cb(creator->service)(creator);
+			linphone_account_creator_service_unref(creator->service);
+	}
+	
 	linphone_account_creator_cbs_unref(creator->cbs);
 	linphone_proxy_config_unref(creator->proxy_cfg);
 	linphone_account_creator_reset(creator);
@@ -264,6 +268,7 @@ LinphoneAccountCreator * _linphone_account_creator_new(LinphoneCore *core, const
 	const char* domain = lp_config_get_string(core->config, "assistant", "domain", NULL);
 	creator = belle_sip_object_new(LinphoneAccountCreator);
 	creator->service = linphone_core_get_account_creator_service(core);
+	linphone_account_creator_service_ref(creator->service);
 	creator->cbs = linphone_account_creator_cbs_new();
 	creator->core = core;
 	creator->transport = LinphoneTransportTcp;
diff --git a/tester/account_creator_tester.c b/tester/account_creator_tester.c
index dadf2c3ef..a19a9278b 100644
--- a/tester/account_creator_tester.c
+++ b/tester/account_creator_tester.c
@@ -61,8 +61,9 @@ static void local_username_too_short(void) {
 		LinphoneAccountCreatorUsernameStatus,
 		"%i");
 
-	linphone_account_creator_unref(creator);
+	
 	linphone_core_manager_destroy(marie);
+	linphone_account_creator_unref(creator);
 }
 
 static void local_username_too_long(void) {