diff --git a/libobs/obs-display.c b/libobs/obs-display.c
index 4a66bc5ac..f950f0a7f 100644
--- a/libobs/obs-display.c
+++ b/libobs/obs-display.c
@@ -53,8 +53,14 @@ void obs_display_destroy(obs_display_t display)
 
 obs_source_t obs_display_getsource(obs_display_t display, uint32_t channel)
 {
+	obs_source_t source;
 	assert(channel < MAX_CHANNELS);
-	return display->channels[channel];
+
+	source = display->channels[channel];
+	if (source)
+		obs_source_addref(source);
+
+	return source;
 }
 
 void obs_display_setsource(obs_display_t display, uint32_t channel,
diff --git a/libobs/obs-scene.c b/libobs/obs-scene.c
index eab9298bf..a8513d259 100644
--- a/libobs/obs-scene.c
+++ b/libobs/obs-scene.c
@@ -18,14 +18,15 @@
 #include "graphics/math-defs.h"
 #include "obs-scene.h"
 
-static inline void signal_item_destroy(struct obs_scene_item *item,
-		struct calldata *params)
+static inline void signal_item_remove(struct obs_scene_item *item)
 {
-	calldata_setptr(params, "scene", item->parent);
-	calldata_setptr(params, "item", item);
+	struct calldata params = {0};
+	calldata_setptr(&params, "scene", item->parent);
+	calldata_setptr(&params, "item", item);
+
 	signal_handler_signal(item->parent->source->signals, "remove",
-			params);
-	calldata_clear(params);
+			&params);
+	calldata_free(&params);
 }
 
 static const char *scene_getname(const char *locale)
@@ -62,20 +63,18 @@ static void scene_destroy(void *data)
 {
 	struct obs_scene *scene = data;
 	struct obs_scene_item *item = scene->first_item;
-	struct calldata params = {0};
+
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&scene->mutex);
 
 	while (item) {
 		struct obs_scene_item *del_item = item;
 		item = item->next;
 
-		signal_item_destroy(del_item, &params);
-
-		if (del_item->source)
-			obs_source_release(del_item->source);
-		bfree(del_item);
+		obs_sceneitem_remove(del_item);
 	}
 
-	calldata_free(&params);
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&scene->mutex);
+
 	pthread_mutex_destroy(&scene->mutex);
 	bfree(scene);
 }
@@ -94,6 +93,8 @@ static inline void detach_sceneitem(struct obs_scene_item *item)
 
 	if (item->next)
 		item->next->prev = item->prev;
+
+	item->parent = NULL;
 }
 
 static inline void attach_sceneitem(struct obs_scene_item *item,
@@ -124,7 +125,7 @@ static void scene_video_render(void *data)
 			struct obs_scene_item *del_item = item;
 			item = item->next;
 
-			obs_sceneitem_destroy(del_item);
+			obs_sceneitem_remove(del_item);
 			continue;
 		}
 
@@ -225,9 +226,8 @@ obs_sceneitem_t obs_scene_findsource(obs_scene_t scene, const char *name)
 
 	item = scene->first_item;
 	while (item) {
-		if (strcmp(item->source->name, name) == 0) {
+		if (strcmp(item->source->name, name) == 0)
 			break;
-		}
 
 		item = item->next;
 	}
@@ -247,10 +247,16 @@ void obs_scene_enum_items(obs_scene_t scene,
 
 	item = scene->first_item;
 	while (item) {
+		struct obs_scene_item *next = item->next;
+
+		obs_sceneitem_addref(item);
+
 		if (!callback(scene, item, param))
 			break;
 
-		item = item->next;
+		obs_sceneitem_release(item);
+
+		item = next;
 	}
 
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&scene->mutex);
@@ -266,6 +272,7 @@ obs_sceneitem_t obs_scene_add(obs_scene_t scene, obs_source_t source)
 	item->source  = source;
 	item->visible = true;
 	item->parent  = scene;
+	item->ref     = 1;
 	vec2_set(&item->scale, 1.0f, 1.0f);
 
 	if (source)
@@ -294,30 +301,53 @@ obs_sceneitem_t obs_scene_add(obs_scene_t scene, obs_source_t source)
 	return item;
 }
 
-int obs_sceneitem_destroy(obs_sceneitem_t item)
+static void obs_sceneitem_destroy(obs_sceneitem_t item)
+{
+	if (item) {
+		if (item->source)
+			obs_source_release(item->source);
+		bfree(item);
+	}
+}
+
+int obs_sceneitem_addref(obs_sceneitem_t item)
+{
+	return ++item->ref;
+}
+
+int obs_sceneitem_release(obs_sceneitem_t item)
 {
 	int ref = 0;
 
-	if (item) {
-		obs_scene_t scene = item->parent;
-		struct calldata params = {0};
-
-		pthread_mutex_lock(&scene->mutex);
-
-		signal_item_destroy(item, &params);
-		detach_sceneitem(item);
-
-		if (item->source)
-			ref = obs_source_release(item->source);
-		bfree(item);
-
-		pthread_mutex_unlock(&scene->mutex);
-		calldata_free(&params);
+	if (item ) {
+		ref = --item->ref;
+		if (!ref)
+			obs_sceneitem_destroy(item);
 	}
 
 	return ref;
 }
 
+void obs_sceneitem_remove(obs_sceneitem_t item)
+{
+	obs_scene_t scene;
+
+	if (item->removed)
+		return;
+
+	item->removed = true;
+
+	signal_item_remove(item);
+
+	scene = item->parent;
+
+	pthread_mutex_lock(&scene->mutex);
+	detach_sceneitem(item);
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&scene->mutex);
+
+	obs_sceneitem_release(item);
+}
+
 obs_scene_t obs_sceneitem_getscene(obs_sceneitem_t item)
 {
 	return item->parent;
@@ -353,6 +383,7 @@ void obs_sceneitem_setorder(obs_sceneitem_t item, enum order_movement movement)
 	struct obs_scene *scene = item->parent;
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&scene->mutex);
+	obs_scene_addref(scene);
 
 	detach_sceneitem(item);
 
@@ -377,6 +408,7 @@ void obs_sceneitem_setorder(obs_sceneitem_t item, enum order_movement movement)
 		attach_sceneitem(item, NULL);
 	}
 
+	obs_scene_release(scene);
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&scene->mutex);
 }
 
diff --git a/libobs/obs-scene.h b/libobs/obs-scene.h
index 3c9e9ffcc..d9b079459 100644
--- a/libobs/obs-scene.h
+++ b/libobs/obs-scene.h
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
 /* how obs scene! */
 
 struct obs_scene_item {
+	volatile int          ref;
+	volatile bool         removed;
+
 	struct obs_scene      *parent;
 	struct obs_source     *source;
 	bool                  visible;
diff --git a/libobs/obs.h b/libobs/obs.h
index 551bcef82..0c058a2c6 100644
--- a/libobs/obs.h
+++ b/libobs/obs.h
@@ -501,14 +501,16 @@ EXPORT void obs_scene_enum_items(obs_scene_t scene,
 /** Adds/creates a new scene item for a source */
 EXPORT obs_sceneitem_t obs_scene_add(obs_scene_t scene, obs_source_t source);
 
-/** Removes/destroys a scene item.  Returns the source reference counter
- * (if any) */
-EXPORT int obs_sceneitem_destroy(obs_sceneitem_t item);
+EXPORT int obs_sceneitem_addref(obs_sceneitem_t item);
+EXPORT int obs_sceneitem_release(obs_sceneitem_t item);
 
-/** Gets the scene parent associated with the scene item */
+/** Removes a scene item. */
+EXPORT void obs_sceneitem_remove(obs_sceneitem_t item);
+
+/** Gets the scene parent associated with the scene item. */
 EXPORT obs_scene_t obs_sceneitem_getscene(obs_sceneitem_t item);
 
-/** Gets the source of a scene item */
+/** Gets the source of a scene item. */
 EXPORT obs_source_t obs_sceneitem_getsource(obs_sceneitem_t item);
 
 /* Functions for gettings/setting specific oriantation of a scene item */
diff --git a/obs/window-basic-main.cpp b/obs/window-basic-main.cpp
index ce6840e02..e07c8e20e 100644
--- a/obs/window-basic-main.cpp
+++ b/obs/window-basic-main.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@ obs_scene_t OBSBasic::GetCurrentScene()
 		nullptr;
 }
 
+obs_sceneitem_t OBSBasic::GetCurrentSceneItem()
+{
+	QListWidgetItem *item = ui->sources->currentItem();
+	return item ? VariantPtr<obs_sceneitem_t>(item->data(Qt::UserRole)) :
+		nullptr;
+}
+
 void OBSBasic::AddScene(obs_source_t source)
 {
 	const char *name  = obs_source_getname(source);
@@ -101,8 +108,6 @@ void OBSBasic::RemoveSceneItem(obs_sceneitem_t item)
 	}
 
 	obs_source_t source = obs_sceneitem_getsource(item);
-	obs_source_addref(source);
-	obs_source_release(source);
 
 	int scenes = sourceSceneRefs[source] - 1;
 	if (scenes == 0) {
@@ -472,17 +477,14 @@ void OBSBasic::AddSource(obs_scene_t scene, const char *id)
 
 void OBSBasic::AddSourcePopupMenu(const QPoint &pos)
 {
-	QListWidgetItem *sel = ui->scenes->currentItem();
+	obs_scene_t scene = GetCurrentScene();
 	const char *type;
 	bool foundValues = false;
 	size_t idx = 0;
 
-	if (!sel)
+	if (!scene)
 		return;
 
-	obs_scene_t scene = VariantPtr<obs_scene_t>(sel->data(Qt::UserRole));
-	obs_scene_addref(scene);
-
 	QMenu popup;
 	while (obs_enum_input_types(idx++, &type)) {
 		const char *name = obs_source_getdisplayname(SOURCE_INPUT,
@@ -500,8 +502,6 @@ void OBSBasic::AddSourcePopupMenu(const QPoint &pos)
 		if (ret)
 			AddSource(scene, ret->data().toString().toUtf8());
 	}
-
-	obs_scene_release(scene);
 }
 
 void OBSBasic::on_actionAddSource_triggered()
@@ -511,23 +511,9 @@ void OBSBasic::on_actionAddSource_triggered()
 
 void OBSBasic::on_actionRemoveSource_triggered()
 {
-	QListWidgetItem *sel = ui->sources->currentItem();
-	if (!sel)
-		return;
-
-	obs_scene_t scene = GetCurrentScene();
-	if (!scene)
-		return;
-
-	gs_entercontext(obs_graphics());
-	obs_scene_addref(scene);
-
-	QVariant userData = sel->data(Qt::UserRole);
-	obs_sceneitem_t item = VariantPtr<obs_sceneitem_t>(userData);
-	obs_sceneitem_destroy(item);
-
-	obs_scene_release(scene);
-	gs_leavecontext();
+	obs_sceneitem_t item = GetCurrentSceneItem();
+	if (item)
+		obs_sceneitem_remove(item);
 }
 
 void OBSBasic::on_actionSourceProperties_triggered()
diff --git a/obs/window-basic-main.hpp b/obs/window-basic-main.hpp
index 7c98ff293..3200c2ffa 100644
--- a/obs/window-basic-main.hpp
+++ b/obs/window-basic-main.hpp
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ private:
 	std::unordered_map<obs_source_t, int> sourceSceneRefs;
 
 	obs_scene_t GetCurrentScene();
+	obs_sceneitem_t GetCurrentSceneItem();
 	void AddSceneItem(obs_sceneitem_t item);
 	void RemoveSceneItem(obs_sceneitem_t item);
 	void AddScene(obs_source_t scene);