diff --git a/src/core/ext/client_channel/client_channel.c b/src/core/ext/client_channel/client_channel.c
index 80b4f048c2f..ff773ac3348 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/client_channel/client_channel.c
+++ b/src/core/ext/client_channel/client_channel.c
@@ -1022,6 +1022,10 @@ static void cc_destroy_call_elem(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx,
   GPR_ASSERT(calld->creation_phase == GRPC_SUBCHANNEL_CALL_HOLDER_NOT_CREATING);
   gpr_mu_destroy(&calld->mu);
   GPR_ASSERT(calld->waiting_ops_count == 0);
+  if (calld->connected_subchannel != NULL) {
+    GRPC_CONNECTED_SUBCHANNEL_UNREF(exec_ctx, calld->connected_subchannel,
+                                    "picked");
+  }
   gpr_free(calld->waiting_ops);
   gpr_free(and_free_memory);
 }
diff --git a/src/core/ext/client_channel/subchannel.c b/src/core/ext/client_channel/subchannel.c
index ab6aede23ac..789966cb693 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/client_channel/subchannel.c
+++ b/src/core/ext/client_channel/subchannel.c
@@ -183,9 +183,10 @@ static void connection_destroy(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, void *arg,
   gpr_free(c);
 }
 
-void grpc_connected_subchannel_ref(
+grpc_connected_subchannel *grpc_connected_subchannel_ref(
     grpc_connected_subchannel *c GRPC_SUBCHANNEL_REF_EXTRA_ARGS) {
   GRPC_CHANNEL_STACK_REF(CHANNEL_STACK_FROM_CONNECTION(c), REF_REASON);
+  return c;
 }
 
 void grpc_connected_subchannel_unref(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx,
diff --git a/src/core/ext/client_channel/subchannel.h b/src/core/ext/client_channel/subchannel.h
index 56520740741..93bd72d20d5 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/client_channel/subchannel.h
+++ b/src/core/ext/client_channel/subchannel.h
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ grpc_subchannel *grpc_subchannel_weak_ref(
 void grpc_subchannel_weak_unref(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx,
                                 grpc_subchannel *channel
                                     GRPC_SUBCHANNEL_REF_EXTRA_ARGS);
-void grpc_connected_subchannel_ref(
+grpc_connected_subchannel *grpc_connected_subchannel_ref(
     grpc_connected_subchannel *channel GRPC_SUBCHANNEL_REF_EXTRA_ARGS);
 void grpc_connected_subchannel_unref(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx,
                                      grpc_connected_subchannel *channel
diff --git a/src/core/ext/lb_policy/pick_first/pick_first.c b/src/core/ext/lb_policy/pick_first/pick_first.c
index 5d3433df74a..ac3c6a305ac 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/lb_policy/pick_first/pick_first.c
+++ b/src/core/ext/lb_policy/pick_first/pick_first.c
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ static int pf_pick(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, grpc_lb_policy *pol,
   /* Check atomically for a selected channel */
   grpc_connected_subchannel *selected = GET_SELECTED(p);
   if (selected != NULL) {
-    *target = selected;
+    *target = GRPC_CONNECTED_SUBCHANNEL_REF(selected, "picked");
     return 1;
   }
 
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ static int pf_pick(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, grpc_lb_policy *pol,
   selected = GET_SELECTED(p);
   if (selected) {
     gpr_mu_unlock(&p->mu);
-    *target = selected;
+    *target = GRPC_CONNECTED_SUBCHANNEL_REF(selected, "picked");
     return 1;
   } else {
     if (!p->started_picking) {
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ static void pf_connectivity_changed(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, void *arg,
         /* update any calls that were waiting for a pick */
         while ((pp = p->pending_picks)) {
           p->pending_picks = pp->next;
-          *pp->target = selected;
+          *pp->target = GRPC_CONNECTED_SUBCHANNEL_REF(selected, "picked");
           grpc_exec_ctx_sched(exec_ctx, pp->on_complete, GRPC_ERROR_NONE, NULL);
           gpr_free(pp);
         }
diff --git a/src/core/ext/lb_policy/round_robin/round_robin.c b/src/core/ext/lb_policy/round_robin/round_robin.c
index c0743b00e80..37a9b18b970 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/lb_policy/round_robin/round_robin.c
+++ b/src/core/ext/lb_policy/round_robin/round_robin.c
@@ -397,7 +397,9 @@ static int rr_pick(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, grpc_lb_policy *pol,
   gpr_mu_lock(&p->mu);
   if ((selected = peek_next_connected_locked(p))) {
     /* readily available, report right away */
-    *target = grpc_subchannel_get_connected_subchannel(selected->subchannel);
+    *target = GRPC_CONNECTED_SUBCHANNEL_REF(
+        grpc_subchannel_get_connected_subchannel(selected->subchannel),
+        "picked");
 
     if (user_data != NULL) {
       *user_data = selected->user_data;
@@ -463,8 +465,9 @@ static void rr_connectivity_changed(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, void *arg,
         while ((pp = p->pending_picks)) {
           p->pending_picks = pp->next;
 
-          *pp->target =
-              grpc_subchannel_get_connected_subchannel(selected->subchannel);
+          *pp->target = GRPC_CONNECTED_SUBCHANNEL_REF(
+              grpc_subchannel_get_connected_subchannel(selected->subchannel),
+              "picked");
           if (pp->user_data != NULL) {
             *pp->user_data = selected->user_data;
           }
@@ -578,7 +581,9 @@ static void rr_ping_one(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, grpc_lb_policy *pol,
   gpr_mu_lock(&p->mu);
   if ((selected = peek_next_connected_locked(p))) {
     gpr_mu_unlock(&p->mu);
-    target = grpc_subchannel_get_connected_subchannel(selected->subchannel);
+    target = GRPC_CONNECTED_SUBCHANNEL_REF(
+        grpc_subchannel_get_connected_subchannel(selected->subchannel),
+        "picked");
     grpc_connected_subchannel_ping(exec_ctx, target, closure);
   } else {
     gpr_mu_unlock(&p->mu);