diff --git a/include/widgets/widget-internal.h b/include/widgets/widget-internal.h
index 762f5723..e32c8766 100644
--- a/include/widgets/widget-internal.h
+++ b/include/widgets/widget-internal.h
@@ -94,9 +94,6 @@ struct _widget
     /** Name of widget (used for theming) */
     char                        *name;
     const char                  *state;
-
-    /** Used for reference counting */
-    int                         ref_count;
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/include/widgets/widget.h b/include/widgets/widget.h
index 28fd94c3..f2f8d6ca 100644
--- a/include/widgets/widget.h
+++ b/include/widgets/widget.h
@@ -323,11 +323,5 @@ int widget_get_absolute_xpos ( widget *wid );
  */
 int widget_get_absolute_ypos ( widget *wid );
 
-/**
- * @param wid The widget handle
- *
- * Increment the reference count on the widget.
- */
-void widget_ref ( widget *wid );
 /*@}*/
 #endif // ROFI_WIDGET_H
diff --git a/source/widgets/widget.c b/source/widgets/widget.c
index 22869959..0e512905 100644
--- a/source/widgets/widget.c
+++ b/source/widgets/widget.c
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 
 #include <glib.h>
 #include <math.h>
-#include <stdatomic.h>
 #include "widgets/widget.h"
 #include "widgets/widget-internal.h"
 #include "theme.h"
@@ -37,8 +36,6 @@
 
 void widget_init ( widget *wid, widget *parent, WidgetType type, const char *name )
 {
-    wid->ref_count         = 1;
-
     wid->type              = type;
     wid->parent            = parent;
     wid->name              = g_strdup ( name );
@@ -363,26 +360,17 @@ void widget_draw ( widget *widget, cairo_t *d )
     }
 }
 
-void widget_ref ( widget *wid )
-{
-    g_assert ( wid != NULL );
-    g_assert ( wid->ref_count > 0 );
-
-    atomic_fetch_add( &(wid->ref_count), 1);
-}
 
 void widget_free ( widget *wid )
 {
     if ( wid ) {
-        if ( atomic_fetch_sub ( &(wid->ref_count), 1) == 1 ) {
-            if ( wid->name ) {
-                g_free ( wid->name );
-            }
-            if ( wid->free ) {
-                wid->free ( wid );
-            }
-            return;
+        if ( wid->name ) {
+            g_free ( wid->name );
         }
+        if ( wid->free ) {
+            wid->free ( wid );
+        }
+        return;
     }
 }