diff --git a/src/utils/eloop.c b/src/utils/eloop.c
index 0da6de45e..4a565ebdb 100644
--- a/src/utils/eloop.c
+++ b/src/utils/eloop.c
@@ -242,8 +242,10 @@ static int eloop_sock_table_add_sock(struct eloop_sock_table *table,
 	eloop_trace_sock_remove_ref(table);
 	tmp = os_realloc_array(table->table, table->count + 1,
 			       sizeof(struct eloop_sock));
-	if (tmp == NULL)
+	if (tmp == NULL) {
+		eloop_trace_sock_add_ref(table);
 		return -1;
+	}
 
 	tmp[table->count].sock = sock;
 	tmp[table->count].eloop_data = eloop_data;