diff --git a/src/client/Client.cc b/src/client/Client.cc
index 45ad949cb73..f89699ab67e 100644
--- a/src/client/Client.cc
+++ b/src/client/Client.cc
@@ -1354,6 +1354,13 @@ int Client::make_request(MetaRequest *request,
   logger->tinc(l_c_lat, lat);
   logger->tinc(l_c_reply, lat);
 
+  if (request->inode())
+    put_inode(request->take_inode());
+  if (request->old_inode())
+    put_inode(request->take_old_inode());
+  if (request->other_inode())
+    put_inode(request->take_other_inode());
+
   request->put();
 
   reply->put();
diff --git a/src/client/MetaRequest.cc b/src/client/MetaRequest.cc
index b6935f970fb..c8c4552d007 100644
--- a/src/client/MetaRequest.cc
+++ b/src/client/MetaRequest.cc
@@ -57,12 +57,9 @@ void MetaRequest::dump(Formatter *f) const
 
 MetaRequest::~MetaRequest()
 {
-  if (_inode)
-    _inode->put();
-  if (_old_inode)
-    _old_inode->put();
-  if (_other_inode)
-    _other_inode->put();
+  assert(!_inode);
+  assert(!_old_inode);
+  assert(!_other_inode);
   if (_dentry)
     _dentry->put();
   if (_old_dentry)
diff --git a/src/client/MetaRequest.h b/src/client/MetaRequest.h
index 465e88562fd..ff96cbc239a 100644
--- a/src/client/MetaRequest.h
+++ b/src/client/MetaRequest.h
@@ -100,10 +100,25 @@ public:
 
   void set_inode(Inode *in);
   Inode *inode();
+  Inode *take_inode() {
+    Inode *i = _inode;
+    _inode = 0;
+    return i;
+  }
   void set_old_inode(Inode *in);
   Inode *old_inode();
+  Inode *take_old_inode() {
+    Inode *i = _old_inode;
+    _old_inode = NULL;
+    return i;
+  }
   void set_other_inode(Inode *in);
   Inode *other_inode();
+  Inode *take_other_inode() {
+    Inode *i = _other_inode;
+    _other_inode = 0;
+    return i;
+  }
   void set_dentry(Dentry *d);
   Dentry *dentry();
   void set_old_dentry(Dentry *d);