diff --git a/nbd/server.c b/nbd/server.c
index 895cf0a752..0b09ccc8dc 100644
--- a/nbd/server.c
+++ b/nbd/server.c
@@ -1557,7 +1557,6 @@ static NBDRequestData *nbd_request_get(NBDClient *client)
     client->nb_requests++;
 
     req = g_new0(NBDRequestData, 1);
-    nbd_client_get(client);
     req->client = client;
     return req;
 }
@@ -1578,8 +1577,6 @@ static void nbd_request_put(NBDRequestData *req)
     }
 
     nbd_client_receive_next_request(client);
-
-    nbd_client_put(client);
 }
 
 static void blk_aio_attached(AioContext *ctx, void *opaque)