spin_lock_init(&group->lock);
        mutex_init(&group->mutex);
        INIT_LIST_HEAD(&group->substreams);
-       refcount_set(&group->refs, 0);
+       refcount_set(&group->refs, 1);
 }
 
 /* define group lock helpers */
 
        if (!group)
                return;
-       do_free = refcount_dec_and_test(&group->refs) &&
-               list_empty(&group->substreams);
+       do_free = refcount_dec_and_test(&group->refs);
        snd_pcm_group_unlock(group, substream->pcm->nonatomic);
        if (do_free)
                kfree(group);
        snd_pcm_group_lock_irq(target_group, nonatomic);
        snd_pcm_stream_lock(substream1);
        snd_pcm_group_assign(substream1, target_group);
+       refcount_inc(&target_group->refs);
        snd_pcm_stream_unlock(substream1);
        snd_pcm_group_unlock_irq(target_group, nonatomic);
  _end:
        snd_pcm_group_lock_irq(group, nonatomic);
 
        relink_to_local(substream);
+       refcount_dec(&group->refs);
 
        /* detach the last stream, too */
        if (list_is_singular(&group->substreams)) {
                relink_to_local(list_first_entry(&group->substreams,
                                                 struct snd_pcm_substream,
                                                 link_list));
-               do_free = !refcount_read(&group->refs);
+               do_free = refcount_dec_and_test(&group->refs);
        }
 
        snd_pcm_group_unlock_irq(group, nonatomic);