diff --git a/page-widget.c b/page-widget.c
index 2c77b89..ae1cb19 100644
--- a/page-widget.c
+++ b/page-widget.c
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ typedef struct zathura_page_widget_private_s {
 
 static gboolean zathura_page_widget_draw(GtkWidget* widget, cairo_t* cairo);
 static void zathura_page_widget_finalize(GObject* object);
+static void zathura_page_widget_dispose(GObject* object);
 static void zathura_page_widget_set_property(GObject* object, guint prop_id, const GValue* value, GParamSpec* pspec);
 static void zathura_page_widget_get_property(GObject* object, guint prop_id, GValue* value, GParamSpec* pspec);
 static void zathura_page_widget_size_allocate(GtkWidget* widget, GdkRectangle* allocation);
@@ -114,6 +115,7 @@ zathura_page_widget_class_init(ZathuraPageClass* class)
   widget_class->popup_menu           = cb_zathura_page_widget_popup_menu;
 
   GObjectClass* object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS(class);
+  object_class->dispose      = zathura_page_widget_dispose;
   object_class->finalize     = zathura_page_widget_finalize;
   object_class->set_property = zathura_page_widget_set_property;
   object_class->get_property = zathura_page_widget_get_property;
@@ -218,6 +220,17 @@ zathura_page_widget_new(zathura_t* zathura, zathura_page_t* page)
   return GTK_WIDGET(ret);
 }
 
+static void
+zathura_page_widget_dispose(GObject* object)
+{
+  ZathuraPage* widget = ZATHURA_PAGE(object);
+  zathura_page_widget_private_t* priv = ZATHURA_PAGE_GET_PRIVATE(widget);
+
+  g_clear_object(&priv->render_request);
+
+  G_OBJECT_CLASS(zathura_page_widget_parent_class)->dispose(object);
+}
+
 static void
 zathura_page_widget_finalize(GObject* object)
 {
@@ -228,10 +241,6 @@ zathura_page_widget_finalize(GObject* object)
     cairo_surface_destroy(priv->surface);
   }
 
-  if (priv->render_request != NULL) {
-    g_object_unref(priv->render_request);
-  }
-
   if (priv->search.list != NULL) {
     girara_list_free(priv->search.list);
   }
diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index 55f96b7..67193f3 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE(ZathuraRenderRequest, zathura_render_request, G_TYPE_OBJECT)
 /* private methods for ZathuraRenderer  */
 static void renderer_finalize(GObject* object);
 /* private methods for ZathuraRenderRequest */
+static void render_request_dispose(GObject* object);
 static void render_request_finalize(GObject* object);
 
 static void render_job(void* data, void* user_data);
@@ -203,6 +204,7 @@ zathura_render_request_class_init(ZathuraRenderRequestClass* class)
 
   /* overwrite methods */
   GObjectClass* object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS(class);
+  object_class->dispose      = render_request_dispose;
   object_class->finalize     = render_request_finalize;
 
   request_signals[REQUEST_COMPLETED] = g_signal_new("completed",
@@ -269,25 +271,35 @@ zathura_render_request_new(ZathuraRenderer* renderer, zathura_page_t* page)
   return request;
 }
 
+static void
+render_request_dispose(GObject* object)
+{
+  ZathuraRenderRequest* request = ZATHURA_RENDER_REQUEST(object);
+  request_private_t* priv = REQUEST_GET_PRIVATE(request);
+
+  if (priv->renderer != NULL) {
+    /* unregister the request */
+    renderer_unregister_request(priv->renderer, request);
+    /* release our private reference to the renderer */
+    g_clear_object(&priv->renderer);
+  }
+
+  G_OBJECT_CLASS(zathura_render_request_parent_class)->dispose(object);
+}
+
 static void
 render_request_finalize(GObject* object)
 {
   ZathuraRenderRequest* request = ZATHURA_RENDER_REQUEST(object);
   request_private_t* priv = REQUEST_GET_PRIVATE(request);
 
-  if (priv->renderer) {
-    /* unregister the request */
-    renderer_unregister_request(priv->renderer, request);
-    /* release our private reference to the renderer */
-    g_object_unref(priv->renderer);
-  }
   if (girara_list_size(priv->active_jobs) != 0) {
     girara_error("This should not happen!");
   }
   girara_list_free(priv->active_jobs);
   mutex_free(&priv->jobs_mutex);
 
-  GOBJECT_CLASS(render_request_parent_class)->finalize(object);
+  G_OBJECT_CLASS(zathura_render_request_parent_class)->finalize(object);
 }
 
 /* renderer methods */