diff --git a/app/widgets/gimpcontrollers.c b/app/widgets/gimpcontrollers.c
index 6281b7b012..26bfe2333b 100644
--- a/app/widgets/gimpcontrollers.c
+++ b/app/widgets/gimpcontrollers.c
@@ -516,13 +516,15 @@ gimp_controller_category_new (GType gtype)
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (g_type_is_a (gtype, GIMP_TYPE_CONTROLLER), NULL);
 
-  controller_class = g_type_class_get (gtype);
+  controller_class = g_type_class_ref (gtype);
 
   category = g_object_new (GIMP_TYPE_CONTROLLER_CATEGORY, NULL);
   category->name = controller_class->name;
   category->icon_name = controller_class->icon_name;
   category->gtype = gtype;
 
+  g_type_class_unref (controller_class);
+
   return category;
 }