diff --git a/proc/diskstats.c b/proc/diskstats.c
index 2aafa3d4..ff5fcddf 100644
--- a/proc/diskstats.c
+++ b/proc/diskstats.c
@@ -800,7 +800,8 @@ PROCPS_EXPORT int procps_diskstats_unref (
         return -EINVAL;
 
     (*info)->refcount--;
-    if ((*info)->refcount == 0) {
+
+    if ((*info)->refcount < 1) {
         if ((*info)->diskstats_fp) {
             fclose((*info)->diskstats_fp);
             (*info)->diskstats_fp = NULL;
@@ -828,7 +829,6 @@ PROCPS_EXPORT int procps_diskstats_unref (
 
         free(*info);
         *info = NULL;
-
         return 0;
     }
     return (*info)->refcount;
diff --git a/proc/meminfo.c b/proc/meminfo.c
index 53d4e46f..549b0340 100644
--- a/proc/meminfo.c
+++ b/proc/meminfo.c
@@ -778,14 +778,16 @@ PROCPS_EXPORT int procps_meminfo_unref (
 {
     if (info == NULL || *info == NULL)
         return -EINVAL;
+
     (*info)->refcount--;
 
-    if ((*info)->refcount == 0) {
+    if ((*info)->refcount < 1) {
         if ((*info)->extents)
             meminfo_extents_free_all((*info));
         if ((*info)->items)
             free((*info)->items);
         hdestroy_r(&(*info)->hashtab);
+
         free(*info);
         *info = NULL;
         return 0;
diff --git a/proc/pids.c b/proc/pids.c
index 446add3f..1a0d0b3d 100644
--- a/proc/pids.c
+++ b/proc/pids.c
@@ -1180,7 +1180,8 @@ PROCPS_EXPORT int procps_pids_unref (
         return -EINVAL;
 
     (*info)->refcount--;
-    if ((*info)->refcount == 0) {
+
+    if ((*info)->refcount < 1) {
 #ifdef UNREF_RPTHASH
         pids_unref_rpthash(*info);
 #endif
diff --git a/proc/slabinfo.c b/proc/slabinfo.c
index 02f84280..97933128 100644
--- a/proc/slabinfo.c
+++ b/proc/slabinfo.c
@@ -843,7 +843,8 @@ PROCPS_EXPORT int procps_slabinfo_unref (
         return -EINVAL;
 
     (*info)->refcount--;
-    if ((*info)->refcount == 0) {
+
+    if ((*info)->refcount < 1) {
         if ((*info)->slabinfo_fp) {
             fclose((*info)->slabinfo_fp);
             (*info)->slabinfo_fp = NULL;
@@ -867,7 +868,6 @@ PROCPS_EXPORT int procps_slabinfo_unref (
 
         free(*info);
         *info = NULL;
-
         return 0;
     }
     return (*info)->refcount;
diff --git a/proc/stat.c b/proc/stat.c
index 4d0989a5..9eccb133 100644
--- a/proc/stat.c
+++ b/proc/stat.c
@@ -901,9 +901,10 @@ PROCPS_EXPORT int procps_stat_unref (
 {
     if (info == NULL || *info == NULL)
         return -EINVAL;
+
     (*info)->refcount--;
 
-    if ((*info)->refcount == 0) {
+    if ((*info)->refcount < 1) {
         if ((*info)->cpus.anchor)
             free((*info)->cpus.anchor);
         if ((*info)->cpus.result.stacks)
diff --git a/proc/vmstat.c b/proc/vmstat.c
index 5cd49c3d..e012777b 100644
--- a/proc/vmstat.c
+++ b/proc/vmstat.c
@@ -1162,14 +1162,16 @@ PROCPS_EXPORT int procps_vmstat_unref (
 {
     if (info == NULL || *info == NULL)
         return -EINVAL;
+
     (*info)->refcount--;
 
-    if ((*info)->refcount == 0) {
+    if ((*info)->refcount < 1) {
         if ((*info)->extents)
             vmstat_extents_free_all((*info));
         if ((*info)->items)
             free((*info)->items);
         hdestroy_r(&(*info)->hashtab);
+
         free(*info);
         *info = NULL;
         return 0;