diff --git a/gsk/gskrendernode.c b/gsk/gskrendernode.c
index bd640c6179..ed7ec05f97 100644
--- a/gsk/gskrendernode.c
+++ b/gsk/gskrendernode.c
@@ -287,15 +287,21 @@ gsk_render_node_alloc (GskRenderNodeType node_type)
  * Returns: (transfer full): the `GskRenderNode` with an additional reference
  */
 GskRenderNode *
-gsk_render_node_ref (GskRenderNode *node)
+(gsk_render_node_ref) (GskRenderNode *node)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GSK_IS_RENDER_NODE (node), NULL);
 
-  g_atomic_ref_count_inc (&node->ref_count);
-
-  return node;
+  return _gsk_render_node_ref (node);
 }
 
+void
+_gsk_render_node_unref (GskRenderNode *node)
+{
+  if G_UNLIKELY (g_atomic_ref_count_dec (&node->ref_count))
+    GSK_RENDER_NODE_GET_CLASS (node)->finalize (node);
+}
+
+
 /**
  * gsk_render_node_unref:
  * @node: (transfer full): a `GskRenderNode`
@@ -306,12 +312,11 @@ gsk_render_node_ref (GskRenderNode *node)
  * freed.
  */
 void
-gsk_render_node_unref (GskRenderNode *node)
+(gsk_render_node_unref) (GskRenderNode *node)
 {
   g_return_if_fail (GSK_IS_RENDER_NODE (node));
 
-  if (g_atomic_ref_count_dec (&node->ref_count))
-    GSK_RENDER_NODE_GET_CLASS (node)->finalize (node);
+  _gsk_render_node_unref (node);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/gsk/gskrendernodeprivate.h b/gsk/gskrendernodeprivate.h
index 63b884dd41..700f12e0d6 100644
--- a/gsk/gskrendernodeprivate.h
+++ b/gsk/gskrendernodeprivate.h
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ GType           gsk_render_node_type_register_static    (const char
 
 gpointer        gsk_render_node_alloc                   (GskRenderNodeType            node_type);
 
+void            _gsk_render_node_unref                  (GskRenderNode               *node);
+
 gboolean        gsk_render_node_can_diff                (const GskRenderNode         *node1,
                                                          const GskRenderNode         *node2) G_GNUC_PURE;
 void            gsk_render_node_diff                    (GskRenderNode               *node1,
@@ -90,6 +92,15 @@ gboolean        gsk_container_node_is_disjoint          (const GskRenderNode
 
 gboolean        gsk_render_node_use_offscreen_for_opacity (const GskRenderNode       *node);
 
+#define gsk_render_node_ref(node)   _gsk_render_node_ref(node)
+#define gsk_render_node_unref(node) _gsk_render_node_unref(node)
+
+static inline GskRenderNode *
+_gsk_render_node_ref (GskRenderNode *node)
+{
+  g_atomic_ref_count_inc (&node->ref_count);
+  return node;
+}
 
 G_END_DECLS