diff --git a/gst/rtpmanager/gstrtpjitterbuffer.c b/gst/rtpmanager/gstrtpjitterbuffer.c
index a7e7d7a192..2d132f2c29 100644
--- a/gst/rtpmanager/gstrtpjitterbuffer.c
+++ b/gst/rtpmanager/gstrtpjitterbuffer.c
@@ -1053,8 +1053,10 @@ gst_rtp_jitter_buffer_sink_event (GstPad * pad, GstEvent * event)
   GstRtpJitterBufferPrivate *priv;
 
   jitterbuffer = GST_RTP_JITTER_BUFFER (gst_pad_get_parent (pad));
-  if (G_UNLIKELY (jitterbuffer == NULL))
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (jitterbuffer == NULL)) {
+    gst_event_unref (event);
     return FALSE;
+  }
   priv = jitterbuffer->priv;
 
   GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (jitterbuffer, "received %s", GST_EVENT_TYPE_NAME (event));