diff --git a/cfg.c b/cfg.c
index ff43976e..37474094 100644
--- a/cfg.c
+++ b/cfg.c
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ cfg_default_done(unused struct cmd_q *cmdq)
 		 */
 		if (!TAILQ_EMPTY(&cfg_client->cmdq->queue))
 			cmdq_continue(cfg_client->cmdq);
-		cfg_client->references--;
+		server_client_unref(cfg_client);
 		cfg_client = NULL;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd-confirm-before.c b/cmd-confirm-before.c
index e6104574..248515cd 100644
--- a/cmd-confirm-before.c
+++ b/cmd-confirm-before.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ cmd_confirm_before_free(void *data)
 	struct cmd_confirm_before_data	*cdata = data;
 	struct client			*c = cdata->client;
 
-	server_client_deref(c);
+	server_client_unref(c);
 
 	free(cdata->cmd);
 	free(cdata);
diff --git a/cmd-load-buffer.c b/cmd-load-buffer.c
index 8f653929..897807d0 100644
--- a/cmd-load-buffer.c
+++ b/cmd-load-buffer.c
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ cmd_load_buffer_callback(struct client *c, int closed, void *data)
 		return;
 	c->stdin_callback = NULL;
 
-	server_client_deref(c);
+	server_client_unref(c);
 	if (c->flags & CLIENT_DEAD)
 		return;
 
diff --git a/notify.c b/notify.c
index 19bf17e8..8dfbd6ba 100644
--- a/notify.c
+++ b/notify.c
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ notify_drain(void)
 		}
 
 		if (ne->client != NULL)
-			ne->client->references--;
+			server_client_unref(ne->client);
 		if (ne->session != NULL)
 			ne->session->references--;
 		if (ne->window != NULL)
diff --git a/server-client.c b/server-client.c
index b10c1e13..8739b5ab 100644
--- a/server-client.c
+++ b/server-client.c
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ server_client_lost(struct client *c)
 	if (event_initialized(&c->event))
 		event_del(&c->event);
 
-	server_client_deref(c);
+	server_client_unref(c);
 
 	server_add_accept(0); /* may be more file descriptors now */
 
@@ -233,9 +233,9 @@ server_client_lost(struct client *c)
 
 /* Remove reference from a client. */
 void
-server_client_deref(struct client *c)
+server_client_unref(struct client *c)
 {
-	log_debug("deref client %d (%d references)", c->ibuf.fd, c->references);
+	log_debug("unref client %d (%d references)", c->ibuf.fd, c->references);
 
 	c->references--;
 	if (c->references == 0)
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index fa36fe6f..7068eb44 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1871,7 +1871,7 @@ int	 server_client_check_nested(struct client *);
 void	 server_client_handle_key(struct client *, int);
 void	 server_client_create(int);
 int	 server_client_open(struct client *, char **);
-void	 server_client_deref(struct client *);
+void	 server_client_unref(struct client *);
 void	 server_client_lost(struct client *);
 void	 server_client_callback(int, short, void *);
 void	 server_client_status_timer(void);