diff --git a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/pick_first/pick_first.cc b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/pick_first/pick_first.cc
index 7d66d0acd9a..03e5c892813 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/pick_first/pick_first.cc
+++ b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/pick_first/pick_first.cc
@@ -433,18 +433,12 @@ void PickFirst::PickFirstSubchannelData::ProcessConnectivityChangeLocked(
             grpc_connectivity_state_name(connectivity_state()), p->shutdown_,
             subchannel_list()->shutting_down(), grpc_error_string(error));
   }
-  // If the policy is shutting down, unref and return.
-  if (p->shutdown_) {
-    StopConnectivityWatchLocked();
-    UnrefSubchannelLocked("pf_shutdown");
-    subchannel_list()->UnrefForConnectivityWatch("pf_shutdown");
-    return;
-  }
   // If the subchannel list is shutting down, stop watching.
   if (subchannel_list()->shutting_down() || error == GRPC_ERROR_CANCELLED) {
     StopConnectivityWatchLocked();
     UnrefSubchannelLocked("pf_sl_shutdown");
     subchannel_list()->UnrefForConnectivityWatch("pf_sl_shutdown");
+    GRPC_ERROR_UNREF(error);
     return;
   }
   // If we're still here, the notification must be for a subchannel in
@@ -492,6 +486,7 @@ void PickFirst::PickFirstSubchannelData::ProcessConnectivityChangeLocked(
         StartConnectivityWatchLocked();
       }
     }
+    GRPC_ERROR_UNREF(error);
     return;
   }
   // If we get here, there are two possible cases:
@@ -574,6 +569,7 @@ void PickFirst::PickFirstSubchannelData::ProcessConnectivityChangeLocked(
     case GRPC_CHANNEL_SHUTDOWN:
       GPR_UNREACHABLE_CODE(break);
   }
+  GRPC_ERROR_UNREF(error);
 }
 
 //
diff --git a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/round_robin/round_robin.cc b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/round_robin/round_robin.cc
index db093c8f53e..555ae62aa2d 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/round_robin/round_robin.cc
+++ b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/round_robin/round_robin.cc
@@ -600,6 +600,7 @@ void RoundRobin::RoundRobinSubchannelData::ProcessConnectivityChangeLocked(
     StopConnectivityWatchLocked();
     UnrefSubchannelLocked("rr_sl_shutdown");
     subchannel_list()->UnrefForConnectivityWatch("rr_sl_shutdown");
+    GRPC_ERROR_UNREF(error);
     return;
   }
   // Process the state change.
@@ -640,6 +641,7 @@ void RoundRobin::RoundRobinSubchannelData::ProcessConnectivityChangeLocked(
     subchannel_list()->UpdateOverallStateLocked();
     StartConnectivityWatchLocked();
   }
+  GRPC_ERROR_UNREF(error);
 }
 
 grpc_connectivity_state RoundRobin::CheckConnectivityLocked(
diff --git a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/subchannel_list.h b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/subchannel_list.h
index 73d598e9f19..b3fc5fefe9c 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/subchannel_list.h
+++ b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/lb_policy/subchannel_list.h
@@ -124,6 +124,8 @@ class SubchannelData {
     if (pending_connectivity_state_unsafe_ != curr_connectivity_state_) {
       curr_connectivity_state_ = pending_connectivity_state_unsafe_;
       ProcessConnectivityChangeLocked(error);
+    } else {
+      GRPC_ERROR_UNREF(error);
     }
   }
 
@@ -354,7 +356,7 @@ void SubchannelData<SubchannelListType, SubchannelDataType>::
   if (sd->curr_connectivity_state_ == GRPC_CHANNEL_TRANSIENT_FAILURE) {
     sd->connected_subchannel_.reset();
   }
-  sd->ProcessConnectivityChangeLocked(error);
+  sd->ProcessConnectivityChangeLocked(GRPC_ERROR_REF(error));
 }
 
 template <typename SubchannelListType, typename SubchannelDataType>