diff --git a/src/eloop.c b/src/eloop.c
index 7b39c92..4d90261 100644
--- a/src/eloop.c
+++ b/src/eloop.c
@@ -1143,6 +1143,7 @@ int ev_eloop_new_counter(struct ev_eloop *eloop, struct ev_counter **out,
 	}
 
 	ev_counter_unref(cnt);
+	*out = cnt;
 	return 0;
 }