diff --git a/apps/app_confbridge.c b/apps/app_confbridge.c
index 0231584feb..682798f191 100644
--- a/apps/app_confbridge.c
+++ b/apps/app_confbridge.c
@@ -581,8 +581,6 @@ static int conf_start_record(struct conference_bridge *conference_bridge)
  */
 static int start_conf_record_thread(struct conference_bridge *conference_bridge)
 {
-	ao2_ref(conference_bridge, +1); /* give the record thread a ref */
-
 	conf_start_record(conference_bridge);
 
 	/*
@@ -592,6 +590,8 @@ static int start_conf_record_thread(struct conference_bridge *conference_bridge)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	ao2_ref(conference_bridge, +1); /* give the record thread a ref */
+
 	if (ast_pthread_create_background(&conference_bridge->record_thread, NULL, record_thread, conference_bridge)) {
 		ast_log(LOG_WARNING, "Failed to create recording channel for conference %s\n", conference_bridge->name);
 		ao2_ref(conference_bridge, -1); /* error so remove ref */