diff --git a/src/libratbag.c b/src/libratbag.c
index 0fdc28cb..32084f46 100644
--- a/src/libratbag.c
+++ b/src/libratbag.c
@@ -436,10 +436,8 @@ ratbag_device_unref(struct ratbag_device *device)
 
 	assert(device->refcount > 0);
 	device->refcount--;
-	if (device->refcount > 0)
-		return device;
-
-	ratbag_device_destroy(device);
+	if (device->refcount == 0)
+		ratbag_device_destroy(device);
 
 	return NULL;
 }
@@ -521,11 +519,10 @@ ratbag_unref(struct ratbag *ratbag)
 
 	assert(ratbag->refcount > 0);
 	ratbag->refcount--;
-	if (ratbag->refcount > 0)
-		return ratbag;
-
-	ratbag->udev = udev_unref(ratbag->udev);
-	free(ratbag);
+	if (ratbag->refcount == 0) {
+		ratbag->udev = udev_unref(ratbag->udev);
+		free(ratbag);
+	}
 
 	return NULL;
 }
@@ -636,19 +633,15 @@ ratbag_profile_destroy(struct ratbag_profile *profile)
 LIBRATBAG_EXPORT struct ratbag_profile *
 ratbag_profile_unref(struct ratbag_profile *profile)
 {
-	struct ratbag_profile *p = NULL;
-
 	if (profile == NULL)
 		return NULL;
 
 	assert(profile->refcount > 0);
 	profile->refcount--;
-	if (profile->refcount > 0)
-		p = profile;
 
 	ratbag_device_unref(profile->device);
 
-	return p;
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 LIBRATBAG_EXPORT struct ratbag_profile *
@@ -806,19 +799,15 @@ ratbag_resolution_ref(struct ratbag_resolution *resolution)
 LIBRATBAG_EXPORT struct ratbag_resolution *
 ratbag_resolution_unref(struct ratbag_resolution *resolution)
 {
-	struct ratbag_resolution *r = NULL;
-
 	if (resolution == NULL)
 		return NULL;
 
 	assert(resolution->refcount > 0);
 	resolution->refcount--;
-	if (resolution->refcount > 0)
-		r = resolution;
 
 	ratbag_profile_unref(resolution->profile);
 
-	return r;
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 LIBRATBAG_EXPORT int
@@ -1108,19 +1097,15 @@ ratbag_button_destroy(struct ratbag_button *button)
 LIBRATBAG_EXPORT struct ratbag_button *
 ratbag_button_unref(struct ratbag_button *button)
 {
-	struct ratbag_button *b = NULL;
-
 	if (button == NULL)
 		return NULL;
 
 	assert(button->refcount > 0);
 	button->refcount--;
-	if (button->refcount > 0)
-		b = button;
 
 	ratbag_profile_unref(button->profile);
 
-	return b;
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 LIBRATBAG_EXPORT void
diff --git a/src/libratbag.h b/src/libratbag.h
index 532ac06b..3806e75c 100644
--- a/src/libratbag.h
+++ b/src/libratbag.h
@@ -347,12 +347,12 @@ ratbag_device_ref(struct ratbag_device *device);
 /**
  * @ingroup device
  *
- * Dereference the ratbag device. After this, the device may have been
- * destroyed, if the last reference was dereferenced. If so, the device is
- * invalid and may not be interacted with.
+ * Dereference the ratbag device. When the internal refcount reaches
+ * zero, all resources associated with this object are released. The object
+ * must be considered invalid once unref is called.
  *
  * @param device A previously initialized ratbag device
- * @return NULL if device was destroyed otherwise the passed device
+ * @return Always NULL
  */
 struct ratbag_device *
 ratbag_device_unref(struct ratbag_device *device);
@@ -505,12 +505,12 @@ ratbag_profile_ref(struct ratbag_profile *profile);
 /**
  * @ingroup profile
  *
- * Dereference the ratbag profile. After this, the profile may have been
- * destroyed, if the last reference was dereferenced. If so, the profile is
- * invalid and may not be interacted with.
+ * Dereference the ratbag profile. When the internal refcount reaches
+ * zero, all resources associated with this object are released. The object
+ * must be considered invalid once unref is called.
  *
  * @param profile A previously initialized ratbag profile
- * @return NULL if context was destroyed otherwise the passed profile
+ * @return Always NULL
  */
 struct ratbag_profile *
 ratbag_profile_unref(struct ratbag_profile *profile);
@@ -671,12 +671,12 @@ ratbag_resolution_ref(struct ratbag_resolution *resolution);
 /**
  * @ingroup resolution
  *
- * Dereference the ratbag resolution. After this, the resolution may have been
- * destroyed, if the last reference was dereferenced. If so, the resolution is
- * invalid and may not be interacted with.
+ * Dereference the ratbag resolution. When the internal refcount reaches
+ * zero, all resources associated with this object are released. The object
+ * must be considered invalid once unref is called.
  *
  * @param resolution A previously initialized ratbag resolution
- * @return NULL if the resolution was destroyed otherwise the passed resolution
+ * @return Always NULL
  */
 struct ratbag_resolution *
 ratbag_resolution_unref(struct ratbag_resolution *resolution);
@@ -1392,12 +1392,12 @@ ratbag_button_ref(struct ratbag_button *button);
 /**
  * @ingroup button
  *
- * Dereference the ratbag button. After this, the button may have been
- * destroyed, if the last reference was dereferenced. If so, the button is
- * invalid and may not be interacted with.
+ * Dereference the ratbag button. When the internal refcount reaches
+ * zero, all resources associated with this object are released. The object
+ * must be considered invalid once unref is called.
  *
  * @param button A previously initialized ratbag button
- * @return NULL if the button was destroyed otherwise the passed button
+ * @return Always NULL
  */
 struct ratbag_button *
 ratbag_button_unref(struct ratbag_button *button);
diff --git a/test/test-context.c b/test/test-context.c
index 9dbda6a1..6f98d3c7 100644
--- a/test/test-context.c
+++ b/test/test-context.c
@@ -107,9 +107,9 @@ START_TEST(context_ref)
 	ck_assert_ptr_eq(lr, lr2);
 
 	lr2 = ratbag_unref(lr2);
-	ck_assert_ptr_eq(lr2, lr);
+	ck_assert_ptr_eq(lr2, NULL);
 
-	lr2 = ratbag_unref(lr2);
+	lr2 = ratbag_unref(lr);
 	ck_assert_ptr_eq(lr2, NULL);
 }
 END_TEST
diff --git a/test/test-device.c b/test/test-device.c
index db29a284..899ecb26 100644
--- a/test/test-device.c
+++ b/test/test-device.c
@@ -144,13 +144,13 @@ END_TEST
 	 } \
 	 for (i = 0; i <= 256; i++) { \
 		 tmp = T##_unref(a); \
-		 ck_assert(tmp == a); \
+		 ck_assert(tmp == NULL); \
 	 } \
 	 for (i = 0; i <= 256; i++) { \
 		 tmp = T##_ref(a); \
 		 ck_assert(tmp == a); \
 		 tmp = T##_unref(a); \
-		 ck_assert(tmp == a); \
+		 ck_assert(tmp == NULL); \
 	 } \
  }
 
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ START_TEST(device_free_context_before_device)
 	ck_assert(d != NULL);
 
 	r = ratbag_unref(r);
-	ck_assert(r != NULL);
+	ck_assert(r == NULL);
 
 	d = ratbag_device_unref(d);
 	ck_assert(d == NULL);
@@ -465,8 +465,8 @@ START_TEST(device_freed_before_profile)
 	ck_assert_int_eq(is_active, 0);
 
 	d = ratbag_device_unref(d);
-	/* a ref to d is still kept through p, so d can not be NULL */
-	ck_assert(d != NULL);
+	/* a ref to d is still kept through p */
+	ck_assert(d == NULL);
 
 	rc = ratbag_profile_set_active(p);
 	ck_assert_int_eq(rc, 0);
@@ -500,15 +500,15 @@ START_TEST(device_and_profile_freed_before_button)
 	ck_assert(p != NULL);
 
 	d = ratbag_device_unref(d);
-	/* a ref to d is still kept through p, so d can not be NULL */
-	ck_assert(d != NULL);
+	/* a ref to d is still kept through p */
+	ck_assert(d == NULL);
 
 	b = ratbag_profile_get_button(p, 0);
 	ck_assert(b != NULL);
 
 	p = ratbag_profile_unref(p);
-	/* a ref to p is still kept through b, so p can not be NULL */
-	ck_assert(p != NULL);
+	/* a ref to p is still kept through b */
+	ck_assert(p == NULL);
 
 	/* FIXME: should probably call something for the button */
 	b = ratbag_button_unref(b);
@@ -539,15 +539,15 @@ START_TEST(device_and_profile_freed_before_resolution)
 	ck_assert(p != NULL);
 
 	d = ratbag_device_unref(d);
-	/* a ref to d is still kept through p, so d can not be NULL */
-	ck_assert(d != NULL);
+	/* a ref to d is still kept through p */
+	ck_assert(d == NULL);
 
 	res = ratbag_profile_get_resolution(p, 0);
 	ck_assert(res != NULL);
 
 	p = ratbag_profile_unref(p);
-	/* a ref to p is still kept through res, so p can not be NULL */
-	ck_assert(p != NULL);
+	/* a ref to p is still kept through res */
+	ck_assert(p == NULL);
 
 	/* FIXME: should probably call something for the resolution */
 	res = ratbag_resolution_unref(res);
@@ -580,7 +580,7 @@ START_TEST(device_and_profile_and_button_freed_before_resolution)
 
 	d = ratbag_device_unref(d);
 	/* a ref to d is still kept through p, so d can not be NULL */
-	ck_assert(d != NULL);
+	ck_assert(d == NULL);
 
 	res = ratbag_profile_get_resolution(p, 0);
 	ck_assert(res != NULL);
@@ -589,8 +589,8 @@ START_TEST(device_and_profile_and_button_freed_before_resolution)
 	ck_assert(b != NULL);
 
 	p = ratbag_profile_unref(p);
-	/* a ref to p is still kept through res and b, so p can not be NULL */
-	ck_assert(p != NULL);
+	/* a ref to p is still kept through res and b */
+	ck_assert(p == NULL);
 
 	/* a ref to p is still in res */
 	b = ratbag_button_unref(b);
@@ -626,8 +626,8 @@ START_TEST(device_and_profile_and_resolution_freed_before_button)
 	ck_assert(p != NULL);
 
 	d = ratbag_device_unref(d);
-	/* a ref to d is still kept through p, so d can not be NULL */
-	ck_assert(d != NULL);
+	/* a ref to d is still kept through p */
+	ck_assert(d == NULL);
 
 	res = ratbag_profile_get_resolution(p, 0);
 	ck_assert(res != NULL);
@@ -636,8 +636,8 @@ START_TEST(device_and_profile_and_resolution_freed_before_button)
 	ck_assert(b != NULL);
 
 	p = ratbag_profile_unref(p);
-	/* a ref to p is still kept through res and b, so p can not be NULL */
-	ck_assert(p != NULL);
+	/* a ref to p is still kept through res and b */
+	ck_assert(p == NULL);
 
 	/* a ref to p is still in res */
 	res = ratbag_resolution_unref(res);