diff --git a/Kernel/Process.cpp b/Kernel/Process.cpp
index e051d1ed13..5b143240e3 100644
--- a/Kernel/Process.cpp
+++ b/Kernel/Process.cpp
@@ -2408,7 +2408,7 @@ int Process::sys$create_shared_buffer(int size, void** buffer)
     int shared_buffer_id = ++s_next_shared_buffer_id;
     auto shared_buffer = make<SharedBuffer>(shared_buffer_id, size);
     shared_buffer->share_with(m_pid);
-    *buffer = shared_buffer->get_address(*this);
+    *buffer = shared_buffer->ref_for_process_and_get_address(*this);
     ASSERT((int)shared_buffer->size() >= size);
 #ifdef SHARED_BUFFER_DEBUG
     kprintf("%s(%u): Created shared buffer %d @ %p (%u bytes, vmo is %u)\n", name().characters(), pid(), shared_buffer_id, *buffer, size, shared_buffer->size());
@@ -2447,7 +2447,7 @@ int Process::sys$release_shared_buffer(int shared_buffer_id)
 #ifdef SHARED_BUFFER_DEBUG
     kprintf("%s(%u): Releasing shared buffer %d, buffer count: %u\n", name().characters(), pid(), shared_buffer_id, shared_buffers().resource().size());
 #endif
-    shared_buffer.release(*this);
+    shared_buffer.deref_for_process(*this);
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2463,7 +2463,7 @@ void* Process::sys$get_shared_buffer(int shared_buffer_id)
 #ifdef SHARED_BUFFER_DEBUG
     kprintf("%s(%u): Retaining shared buffer %d, buffer count: %u\n", name().characters(), pid(), shared_buffer_id, shared_buffers().resource().size());
 #endif
-    return shared_buffer.get_address(*this);
+    return shared_buffer.ref_for_process_and_get_address(*this);
 }
 
 int Process::sys$seal_shared_buffer(int shared_buffer_id)
diff --git a/Kernel/SharedBuffer.cpp b/Kernel/SharedBuffer.cpp
index c5574f12df..a082555bae 100644
--- a/Kernel/SharedBuffer.cpp
+++ b/Kernel/SharedBuffer.cpp
@@ -21,12 +21,14 @@ bool SharedBuffer::is_shared_with(pid_t peer_pid)
     return false;
 }
 
-void* SharedBuffer::get_address(Process& process)
+void* SharedBuffer::ref_for_process_and_get_address(Process& process)
 {
     LOCKER(shared_buffers().lock());
     ASSERT(is_shared_with(process.pid()));
     for (auto& ref : m_refs) {
         if (ref.pid == process.pid()) {
+            ref.count++;
+            m_total_refs++;
             if (ref.region == nullptr) {
                 ref.region = process.allocate_region_with_vmo(VirtualAddress(), size(), m_vmo, 0, "SharedBuffer", PROT_READ | (m_writable ? PROT_WRITE : 0));
                 ref.region->set_shared(true);
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@ void SharedBuffer::share_with(pid_t peer_pid)
     LOCKER(shared_buffers().lock());
     for (auto& ref : m_refs) {
         if (ref.pid == peer_pid) {
-            ref.count++;
+            // don't increment the reference count yet; let them get_shared_buffer it first.
             return;
         }
     }
@@ -50,7 +52,7 @@ void SharedBuffer::share_with(pid_t peer_pid)
     m_refs.append(Reference(peer_pid));
 }
 
-void SharedBuffer::release(Process& process)
+void SharedBuffer::deref_for_process(Process& process)
 {
     LOCKER(shared_buffers().lock());
     for (int i = 0; i < m_refs.size(); ++i) {
@@ -94,7 +96,7 @@ void SharedBuffer::disown(pid_t pid)
 void SharedBuffer::destroy_if_unused()
 {
     LOCKER(shared_buffers().lock());
-    if (m_refs.size() == 0) {
+    if (m_total_refs == 0) {
 #ifdef SHARED_BUFFER_DEBUG
         kprintf("Destroying unused SharedBuffer{%p} id: %d\n", this, m_shared_buffer_id);
 #endif
diff --git a/Kernel/SharedBuffer.h b/Kernel/SharedBuffer.h
index c2187f1068..c2d4d05ec5 100644
--- a/Kernel/SharedBuffer.h
+++ b/Kernel/SharedBuffer.h
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ private:
         }
 
         pid_t pid;
-        unsigned count { 1 };
+        unsigned count { 0 };
         Region* region { nullptr };
     };
 public:
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ public:
     }
 
     bool is_shared_with(pid_t peer_pid);
-    void* get_address(Process& process);
+    void* ref_for_process_and_get_address(Process& process);
     void share_with(pid_t peer_pid);
-    void release(Process& process);
+    void deref_for_process(Process& process);
     void disown(pid_t pid);
     size_t size() const { return m_vmo->size(); }
     void destroy_if_unused();
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ public:
     bool m_writable { true };
     NonnullRefPtr<VMObject> m_vmo;
     Vector<Reference, 2> m_refs;
+    unsigned m_total_refs { 0 };
 };
 
 Lockable<HashMap<int, OwnPtr<SharedBuffer>>>& shared_buffers();