diff --git a/gtk/gtkcolumnview.c b/gtk/gtkcolumnview.c
index b6726707f8..0d223f43d2 100644
--- a/gtk/gtkcolumnview.c
+++ b/gtk/gtkcolumnview.c
@@ -320,6 +320,7 @@ gtk_column_view_update_cell_factories (GtkColumnView *self,
       GtkColumnViewColumn *column = g_list_model_get_item (G_LIST_MODEL (self->columns), i);
 
       gtk_column_view_column_update_factory (column, inert);
+      g_object_unref (column);
     }
 }