diff --git a/main/translate.c b/main/translate.c
index 3d4905723c905efcc7582c7ae2b036dc0fc2df24..02717c5ed1ed6da989645146224bc9c937654efd 100644
--- a/main/translate.c
+++ b/main/translate.c
@@ -342,10 +342,7 @@ static struct ast_trans_pvt *newpvt(struct ast_translator *t, struct ast_format
 	 */
 	pvt->explicit_dst = ao2_bump(explicit_dst);
 
-	if (!ast_module_running_ref(t->module)) {
-		ast_free(pvt);
-		return NULL;
-	}
+	ast_module_ref(t->module);
 
 	/* call local init routine, if present */
 	if (t->newpvt && t->newpvt(pvt)) {