diff --git a/src/modules/thread/sdl/Thread.cpp b/src/modules/thread/sdl/Thread.cpp
index 2c2143da6..a569ca3f0 100644
--- a/src/modules/thread/sdl/Thread.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/thread/sdl/Thread.cpp
@@ -253,6 +253,8 @@ namespace sdl
 	{
 		lock();
 		ThreadVariant *v = comm->getValue(name);
+		if (v)
+			v->retain();
 		unlock();
 		return v;
 	}
diff --git a/src/modules/thread/sdl/wrap_Thread.cpp b/src/modules/thread/sdl/wrap_Thread.cpp
index d0245bf7d..9a2a79f44 100644
--- a/src/modules/thread/sdl/wrap_Thread.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/thread/sdl/wrap_Thread.cpp
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@ namespace sdl
 			lua_pushnil(L);
 			return 1;
 		}
-		v->retain();
 		t->clear(name);
 		switch(v->type)
 		{