diff --git a/src/hb-font.cc b/src/hb-font.cc
index ba8ab0dcc..bd5568174 100644
--- a/src/hb-font.cc
+++ b/src/hb-font.cc
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ _hb_face_for_data_closure_create (hb_blob_t *blob, unsigned int index)
   if (unlikely (!closure))
     return NULL;
 
-  closure->blob = hb_blob_reference (blob);
+  closure->blob = blob;
   closure->index = index;
 
   return closure;