diff --git a/src/core/ext/transport/cronet/transport/cronet_transport.c b/src/core/ext/transport/cronet/transport/cronet_transport.c
index abb558982bc..765c13c65e4 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/transport/cronet/transport/cronet_transport.c
+++ b/src/core/ext/transport/cronet/transport/cronet_transport.c
@@ -187,9 +187,34 @@ struct stream_obj {
 
   /* Mutex to protect storage */
   gpr_mu mu;
+
+  /* Refcount object of the stream */
+  grpc_stream_refcount *refcount;
 };
 typedef struct stream_obj stream_obj;
 
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+#define GRPC_CRONET_STREAM_REF(stream, reason) \
+  grpc_cronet_stream_ref((stream), (reason))
+#define GRPC_CRONET_STREAM_UNREF(exec_ctx, stream, reason) \
+  grpc_cronet_stream_unref((exec_ctx), (stream), (reason))
+void grpc_cronet_stream_ref(stream_obj *s, const char *reason) {
+  grpc_stream_ref(s->refcount, reason);
+}
+void grpc_cronet_stream_unref(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, stream_obj *s,
+                              const char *reason) {
+  grpc_stream_unref(exec_ctx, s->refcount, reason);
+}
+#else
+#define GRPC_CRONET_STREAM_REF(stream, reason) grpc_cronet_stream_ref((stream))
+#define GRPC_CRONET_STREAM_UNREF(exec_ctx, stream, reason) \
+  grpc_cronet_stream_unref((exec_ctx), (stream))
+void grpc_cronet_stream_ref(stream_obj *s) { grpc_stream_ref(s->refcount); }
+void grpc_cronet_stream_unref(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, stream_obj *s) {
+  grpc_stream_unref(exec_ctx, s->refcount);
+}
+#endif
+
 static enum e_op_result execute_stream_op(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx,
                                           struct op_and_state *oas);
 
@@ -346,13 +371,12 @@ static void remove_from_storage(struct stream_obj *s,
   This can get executed from the Cronet network thread via cronet callback
   or on the application supplied thread via the perform_stream_op function.
 */
-static void execute_from_storage(stream_obj *s) {
-  grpc_exec_ctx exec_ctx = GRPC_EXEC_CTX_INIT;
+static void execute_from_storage(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, stream_obj *s) {
   gpr_mu_lock(&s->mu);
   for (struct op_and_state *curr = s->storage.head; curr != NULL;) {
     CRONET_LOG(GPR_DEBUG, "calling op at %p. done = %d", curr, curr->done);
     GPR_ASSERT(curr->done == 0);
-    enum e_op_result result = execute_stream_op(&exec_ctx, curr);
+    enum e_op_result result = execute_stream_op(exec_ctx, curr);
     CRONET_LOG(GPR_DEBUG, "execute_stream_op[%p] returns %s", curr,
                op_result_string(result));
     /* if this op is done, then remove it and free memory */
@@ -369,7 +393,6 @@ static void execute_from_storage(stream_obj *s) {
     }
   }
   gpr_mu_unlock(&s->mu);
-  grpc_exec_ctx_finish(&exec_ctx);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -377,6 +400,8 @@ static void execute_from_storage(stream_obj *s) {
 */
 static void on_failed(bidirectional_stream *stream, int net_error) {
   CRONET_LOG(GPR_DEBUG, "on_failed(%p, %d)", stream, net_error);
+  grpc_exec_ctx exec_ctx = GRPC_EXEC_CTX_INIT;
+
   stream_obj *s = (stream_obj *)stream->annotation;
   gpr_mu_lock(&s->mu);
   bidirectional_stream_destroy(s->cbs);
@@ -392,7 +417,9 @@ static void on_failed(bidirectional_stream *stream, int net_error) {
   }
   null_and_maybe_free_read_buffer(s);
   gpr_mu_unlock(&s->mu);
-  execute_from_storage(s);
+  execute_from_storage(&exec_ctx, s);
+  GRPC_CRONET_STREAM_UNREF(&exec_ctx, s, "cronet transport");
+  grpc_exec_ctx_finish(&exec_ctx);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -400,6 +427,8 @@ static void on_failed(bidirectional_stream *stream, int net_error) {
 */
 static void on_canceled(bidirectional_stream *stream) {
   CRONET_LOG(GPR_DEBUG, "on_canceled(%p)", stream);
+  grpc_exec_ctx exec_ctx = GRPC_EXEC_CTX_INIT;
+
   stream_obj *s = (stream_obj *)stream->annotation;
   gpr_mu_lock(&s->mu);
   bidirectional_stream_destroy(s->cbs);
@@ -415,7 +444,9 @@ static void on_canceled(bidirectional_stream *stream) {
   }
   null_and_maybe_free_read_buffer(s);
   gpr_mu_unlock(&s->mu);
-  execute_from_storage(s);
+  execute_from_storage(&exec_ctx, s);
+  GRPC_CRONET_STREAM_UNREF(&exec_ctx, s, "cronet transport");
+  grpc_exec_ctx_finish(&exec_ctx);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -423,6 +454,8 @@ static void on_canceled(bidirectional_stream *stream) {
 */
 static void on_succeeded(bidirectional_stream *stream) {
   CRONET_LOG(GPR_DEBUG, "on_succeeded(%p)", stream);
+  grpc_exec_ctx exec_ctx = GRPC_EXEC_CTX_INIT;
+
   stream_obj *s = (stream_obj *)stream->annotation;
   gpr_mu_lock(&s->mu);
   bidirectional_stream_destroy(s->cbs);
@@ -430,7 +463,9 @@ static void on_succeeded(bidirectional_stream *stream) {
   s->cbs = NULL;
   null_and_maybe_free_read_buffer(s);
   gpr_mu_unlock(&s->mu);
-  execute_from_storage(s);
+  execute_from_storage(&exec_ctx, s);
+  GRPC_CRONET_STREAM_UNREF(&exec_ctx, s, "cronet transport");
+  grpc_exec_ctx_finish(&exec_ctx);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -438,6 +473,7 @@ static void on_succeeded(bidirectional_stream *stream) {
 */
 static void on_stream_ready(bidirectional_stream *stream) {
   CRONET_LOG(GPR_DEBUG, "W: on_stream_ready(%p)", stream);
+  grpc_exec_ctx exec_ctx = GRPC_EXEC_CTX_INIT;
   stream_obj *s = (stream_obj *)stream->annotation;
   grpc_cronet_transport *t = (grpc_cronet_transport *)s->curr_ct;
   gpr_mu_lock(&s->mu);
@@ -457,7 +493,8 @@ static void on_stream_ready(bidirectional_stream *stream) {
     }
   }
   gpr_mu_unlock(&s->mu);
-  execute_from_storage(s);
+  execute_from_storage(&exec_ctx, s);
+  grpc_exec_ctx_finish(&exec_ctx);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -513,14 +550,15 @@ static void on_response_headers_received(
     s->state.pending_read_from_cronet = true;
   }
   gpr_mu_unlock(&s->mu);
+  execute_from_storage(&exec_ctx, s);
   grpc_exec_ctx_finish(&exec_ctx);
-  execute_from_storage(s);
 }
 
 /*
   Cronet callback
 */
 static void on_write_completed(bidirectional_stream *stream, const char *data) {
+  grpc_exec_ctx exec_ctx = GRPC_EXEC_CTX_INIT;
   stream_obj *s = (stream_obj *)stream->annotation;
   CRONET_LOG(GPR_DEBUG, "W: on_write_completed(%p, %s)", stream, data);
   gpr_mu_lock(&s->mu);
@@ -530,7 +568,8 @@ static void on_write_completed(bidirectional_stream *stream, const char *data) {
   }
   s->state.state_callback_received[OP_SEND_MESSAGE] = true;
   gpr_mu_unlock(&s->mu);
-  execute_from_storage(s);
+  execute_from_storage(&exec_ctx, s);
+  grpc_exec_ctx_finish(&exec_ctx);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -538,6 +577,7 @@ static void on_write_completed(bidirectional_stream *stream, const char *data) {
 */
 static void on_read_completed(bidirectional_stream *stream, char *data,
                               int count) {
+  grpc_exec_ctx exec_ctx = GRPC_EXEC_CTX_INIT;
   stream_obj *s = (stream_obj *)stream->annotation;
   CRONET_LOG(GPR_DEBUG, "R: on_read_completed(%p, %p, %d)", stream, data,
              count);
@@ -563,14 +603,15 @@ static void on_read_completed(bidirectional_stream *stream, char *data,
       gpr_mu_unlock(&s->mu);
     } else {
       gpr_mu_unlock(&s->mu);
-      execute_from_storage(s);
+      execute_from_storage(&exec_ctx, s);
     }
   } else {
     null_and_maybe_free_read_buffer(s);
     s->state.rs.read_stream_closed = true;
     gpr_mu_unlock(&s->mu);
-    execute_from_storage(s);
+    execute_from_storage(&exec_ctx, s);
   }
+  grpc_exec_ctx_finish(&exec_ctx);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -625,12 +666,11 @@ static void on_response_trailers_received(
     s->state.state_op_done[OP_SEND_TRAILING_METADATA] = true;
 
     gpr_mu_unlock(&s->mu);
-    grpc_exec_ctx_finish(&exec_ctx);
   } else {
     gpr_mu_unlock(&s->mu);
-    grpc_exec_ctx_finish(&exec_ctx);
-    execute_from_storage(s);
+    execute_from_storage(&exec_ctx, s);
   }
+  grpc_exec_ctx_finish(&exec_ctx);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1313,6 +1353,9 @@ static int init_stream(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, grpc_transport *gt,
                        grpc_stream *gs, grpc_stream_refcount *refcount,
                        const void *server_data, gpr_arena *arena) {
   stream_obj *s = (stream_obj *)gs;
+
+  s->refcount = refcount;
+  GRPC_CRONET_STREAM_REF(s, "cronet transport");
   memset(&s->storage, 0, sizeof(s->storage));
   s->storage.head = NULL;
   memset(&s->state, 0, sizeof(s->state));
@@ -1370,7 +1413,7 @@ static void perform_stream_op(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, grpc_transport *gt,
   }
   stream_obj *s = (stream_obj *)gs;
   add_to_storage(s, op);
-  execute_from_storage(s);
+  execute_from_storage(exec_ctx, s);
 }
 
 static void destroy_stream(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, grpc_transport *gt,