diff --git a/src/nautilus-search-engine-recent.c b/src/nautilus-search-engine-recent.c
index 8cc7b88f0b217e5c897c4f184c5e4c7c842a104b..d265c17168986142acb766f9be2bb94196143adb 100644
--- a/src/nautilus-search-engine-recent.c
+++ b/src/nautilus-search-engine-recent.c
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ nautilus_search_engine_recent_start (NautilusSearchProvider *provider)
                               nautilus_query_get_recursive (self->query),
                               location))
     {
-        search_add_hits_idle (self, NULL);
+        search_add_hits_idle (g_object_ref (self), NULL);
         return;
     }