diff --git a/src/core/channel/channel_stack.c b/src/core/channel/channel_stack.c
index 1320568d23d..c70b565d2b9 100644
--- a/src/core/channel/channel_stack.c
+++ b/src/core/channel/channel_stack.c
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ void grpc_call_element_recv_metadata(grpc_call_element *cur_elem,
   metadata_op.dir = GRPC_CALL_UP;
   metadata_op.done_cb = do_nothing;
   metadata_op.user_data = NULL;
-  metadata_op.data.metadata = grpc_mdelem_ref(mdelem);
+  metadata_op.data.metadata = mdelem;
   grpc_call_next_op(cur_elem, &metadata_op);
 }
 
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ void grpc_call_element_send_metadata(grpc_call_element *cur_elem,
   metadata_op.dir = GRPC_CALL_DOWN;
   metadata_op.done_cb = do_nothing;
   metadata_op.user_data = NULL;
-  metadata_op.data.metadata = grpc_mdelem_ref(mdelem);
+  metadata_op.data.metadata = mdelem;
   grpc_call_next_op(cur_elem, &metadata_op);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/channel/http_client_filter.c b/src/core/channel/http_client_filter.c
index b139b72795f..1f6f3e0ca3d 100644
--- a/src/core/channel/http_client_filter.c
+++ b/src/core/channel/http_client_filter.c
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ static void call_op(grpc_call_element *elem, grpc_call_element *from_elem,
         /* Send : prefixed headers, which have to be before any application
          * layer headers. */
         calld->sent_headers = 1;
-        grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, channeld->method);
-        grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, channeld->scheme);
+        grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, grpc_mdelem_ref(channeld->method));
+        grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, grpc_mdelem_ref(channeld->scheme));
       }
       grpc_call_next_op(elem, op);
       break;
@@ -76,12 +76,12 @@ static void call_op(grpc_call_element *elem, grpc_call_element *from_elem,
       if (!calld->sent_headers) {
         /* Send : prefixed headers, if we haven't already */
         calld->sent_headers = 1;
-        grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, channeld->method);
-        grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, channeld->scheme);
+        grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, grpc_mdelem_ref(channeld->method));
+        grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, grpc_mdelem_ref(channeld->scheme));
       }
       /* Send non : prefixed headers */
-      grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, channeld->te_trailers);
-      grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, channeld->content_type);
+      grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, grpc_mdelem_ref(channeld->te_trailers));
+      grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, grpc_mdelem_ref(channeld->content_type));
       grpc_call_next_op(elem, op);
       break;
     default:
diff --git a/src/core/channel/http_server_filter.c b/src/core/channel/http_server_filter.c
index 8290ead8a78..87f9f437e6b 100644
--- a/src/core/channel/http_server_filter.c
+++ b/src/core/channel/http_server_filter.c
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ static void call_op(grpc_call_element *elem, grpc_call_element *from_elem,
           gpr_log(GPR_ERROR, "Received :path twice");
           grpc_mdelem_unref(calld->path);
         }
-        calld->path = grpc_mdelem_ref(op->data.metadata);
+        calld->path = op->data.metadata;
         op->done_cb(op->user_data, GRPC_OP_OK);
       } else {
         /* pass the event up */
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ static void call_op(grpc_call_element *elem, grpc_call_element *from_elem,
       if (!calld->sent_status) {
         calld->sent_status = 1;
         /* status is reffed by grpc_call_element_send_metadata */
-        grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, channeld->status);
+        grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, grpc_mdelem_ref(channeld->status));
       }
       grpc_call_next_op(elem, op);
       break;
diff --git a/src/core/security/auth.c b/src/core/security/auth.c
index f743b258382..9d0c075bc3f 100644
--- a/src/core/security/auth.c
+++ b/src/core/security/auth.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ static void on_credentials_metadata(void *user_data, grpc_mdelem **md_elems,
   grpc_call_element *elem = (grpc_call_element *)user_data;
   size_t i;
   for (i = 0; i < num_md; i++) {
-    grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, md_elems[i]);
+    grpc_call_element_send_metadata(elem, grpc_mdelem_ref(md_elems[i]));
   }
   grpc_call_next_op(elem, &((call_data *)elem->call_data)->op);
 }