diff --git a/daemon/call.c b/daemon/call.c
index 54b53f235..f5a4afa88 100644
--- a/daemon/call.c
+++ b/daemon/call.c
@@ -4581,10 +4581,11 @@ static void monologue_stop(struct call_monologue *ml) {
 }
 
 
-int call_delete_branch(const str *callid, const str *branch,
+// call must be locked in W.
+// unlocks the call and releases the reference prior to returning, even on error.
+int call_delete_branch(struct call *c, const str *branch,
 	const str *fromtag, const str *totag, bencode_item_t *output, int delete_delay)
 {
-	struct call *c;
 	struct call_monologue *ml;
 	int ret;
 	const str *match_tag;
@@ -4594,12 +4595,6 @@ int call_delete_branch(const str *callid, const str *branch,
 	if (delete_delay < 0)
 		delete_delay = rtpe_config.delete_delay;
 
-	c = call_get(callid);
-	if (!c) {
-		ilog(LOG_INFO, "Call-ID to delete not found");
-		goto err;
-	}
-
 	for (i = c->monologues.head; i; i = i->next) {
 		ml = i->data;
 		gettimeofday(&(ml->terminated), NULL);
@@ -4689,16 +4684,26 @@ success:
 	goto out;
 
 err:
-	if (c)
-		rwlock_unlock_w(&c->master_lock);
+	rwlock_unlock_w(&c->master_lock);
 	ret = -1;
 	goto out;
 
 out:
-	if (c) {
-		if (update)
-			redis_update_onekey(c, rtpe_redis_write);
-		obj_put(c);
-	}
+	if (update)
+		redis_update_onekey(c, rtpe_redis_write);
+	obj_put(c);
+
 	return ret;
 }
+
+
+int call_delete_branch_by_id(const str *callid, const str *branch,
+	const str *fromtag, const str *totag, bencode_item_t *output, int delete_delay)
+{
+	struct call *c = call_get(callid);
+	if (!c) {
+		ilog(LOG_INFO, "Call-ID to delete not found");
+		return -1;
+	}
+	return call_delete_branch(c, branch, fromtag, totag, output, delete_delay);
+}
diff --git a/daemon/call_interfaces.c b/daemon/call_interfaces.c
index 36c736d48..aa02b4a76 100644
--- a/daemon/call_interfaces.c
+++ b/daemon/call_interfaces.c
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ str *call_delete_udp(char **out) {
 	str_init(&fromtag, out[RE_UDP_DQ_FROMTAG]);
 	str_init(&totag, out[RE_UDP_DQ_TOTAG]);
 
-	if (call_delete_branch(&callid, &branch, &fromtag, &totag, NULL, -1))
+	if (call_delete_branch_by_id(&callid, &branch, &fromtag, &totag, NULL, -1))
 		return str_sprintf("%s E8\n", out[RE_UDP_COOKIE]);
 
 	return str_sprintf("%s 0\n", out[RE_UDP_COOKIE]);
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ void call_delete_tcp(char **out) {
 	str callid;
 
 	str_init(&callid, out[RE_TCP_D_CALLID]);
-	call_delete_branch(&callid, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, -1);
+	call_delete_branch_by_id(&callid, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, -1);
 }
 
 static void call_status_iterator(struct call *c, struct streambuf_stream *s) {
@@ -2146,7 +2146,7 @@ const char *call_delete_ng(bencode_item_t *input, bencode_item_t *output) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (call_delete_branch(&callid, &viabranch, &fromtag, &totag, output, delete_delay)) {
+	if (call_delete_branch_by_id(&callid, &viabranch, &fromtag, &totag, output, delete_delay)) {
 		if (fatal)
 			return "Call-ID not found or tags didn't match";
 		bencode_dictionary_add_string(output, "warning", "Call-ID not found or tags didn't match");
diff --git a/include/call.h b/include/call.h
index 7dc5c16bc..343d1a80e 100644
--- a/include/call.h
+++ b/include/call.h
@@ -734,7 +734,9 @@ int monologue_subscribe_answer(struct call_monologue *dst, struct sdp_ng_flags *
 		GQueue *);
 int monologue_unsubscribe(struct call_monologue *dst, struct sdp_ng_flags *);
 void monologue_destroy(struct call_monologue *ml);
-int call_delete_branch(const str *callid, const str *branch,
+int call_delete_branch_by_id(const str *callid, const str *branch,
+	const str *fromtag, const str *totag, bencode_item_t *output, int delete_delay);
+int call_delete_branch(struct call *, const str *branch,
 	const str *fromtag, const str *totag, bencode_item_t *output, int delete_delay);
 void call_destroy(struct call *);
 struct call_media *call_media_new(struct call *call);