diff --git a/main/aoc.c b/main/aoc.c
index 451b21973026ea9c58c5849cd08ab3337b5e1042..3487948dfab55cbc5aab2e1954bc0fadb5b7809e 100644
--- a/main/aoc.c
+++ b/main/aoc.c
@@ -1860,7 +1860,10 @@ static void aoc_publish_blob(struct ast_channel *chan, struct stasis_message_typ
 	msg = stasis_message_create(msg_type, aoc_event);
 	ao2_ref(aoc_event, -1);
 
-	stasis_publish(ast_manager_get_topic(), msg);
+	if (msg) {
+		stasis_publish(ast_manager_get_topic(), msg);
+		ao2_ref(msg, -1);
+	}
 }
 
 static struct ast_manager_event_blob *aoc_to_ami(struct stasis_message *message,