diff --git a/core/jni/android_hardware_UsbRequest.cpp b/core/jni/android_hardware_UsbRequest.cpp
index 01eaec4..a3c7b0a 100644
--- a/core/jni/android_hardware_UsbRequest.cpp
+++ b/core/jni/android_hardware_UsbRequest.cpp
@@ -100,18 +100,19 @@
     }
     request->buffer_length = length;
 
+    // save a reference to ourselves so UsbDeviceConnection.waitRequest() can find us
+    request->client_data = (void *)env->NewGlobalRef(thiz);
+
     if (usb_request_queue(request)) {
         if (request->buffer) {
             // free our buffer if usb_request_queue fails
             free(request->buffer);
             request->buffer = NULL;
         }
+        env->DeleteGlobalRef((jobject)request->client_data);
         return false;
-    } else {
-        // save a reference to ourselves so UsbDeviceConnection.waitRequest() can find us
-        request->client_data = (void *)env->NewGlobalRef(thiz);
-        return true;
     }
+    return true;
 }
 
 static jint
@@ -152,16 +153,17 @@
     }
     request->buffer_length = length;
 
+    // save a reference to ourselves so UsbDeviceConnection.waitRequest() can find us
+    // we also need this to make sure our native buffer is not deallocated
+    // while IO is active
+    request->client_data = (void *)env->NewGlobalRef(thiz);
+
     if (usb_request_queue(request)) {
         request->buffer = NULL;
+        env->DeleteGlobalRef((jobject)request->client_data);
         return false;
-    } else {
-        // save a reference to ourselves so UsbDeviceConnection.waitRequest() can find us
-        // we also need this to make sure our native buffer is not deallocated
-        // while IO is active
-        request->client_data = (void *)env->NewGlobalRef(thiz);
-        return true;
     }
+    return true;
 }
 
 static jint