diff --git a/js/ui/background.js b/js/ui/background.js
index 1f7c5e57200c20462141a44167f1d39a0379a541..d6936b25cfd943dd3f54e0a76ee70e3e2d8048b1 100644
--- a/js/ui/background.js
+++ b/js/ui/background.js
@@ -245,6 +245,13 @@ var Background = GObject.registerClass({
         this.isLoaded = false;
 
         this._clock = new GnomeDesktop.WallClock();
+        /*
+         * Extra _clock.ref() is required to stop toggle references from
+         * triggering garbage collection every time the clock emits a tick,
+         * even though that's a notify::clock and not a notify::timezone.
+         * The reference still toggles internally within Glib.
+         */
+        this._clock.ref();
         this._timezoneChangedId = this._clock.connect('notify::timezone',
             () => {
                 if (this._animation)
@@ -280,7 +287,10 @@ var Background = GObject.registerClass({
             this._clock.disconnect(this._timezoneChangedId);
         this._timezoneChangedId = 0;
 
-        this._clock = null;
+        if (this._clock) {
+            this._clock.unref();
+            this._clock = null;
+        }
 
         if (this._prepareForSleepId != 0)
             LoginManager.getLoginManager().disconnect(this._prepareForSleepId);
diff --git a/js/ui/dateMenu.js b/js/ui/dateMenu.js
index 6edd790a05847dfad6d11aadc5e54c36dd395691..e80987e307364a07008a6df607713e22c06f1971 100644
--- a/js/ui/dateMenu.js
+++ b/js/ui/dateMenu.js
@@ -876,11 +876,24 @@ class DateMenuButton extends PanelMenu.Button {
         // Done with hbox for calendar and event list
 
         this._clock = new GnomeDesktop.WallClock();
+        /*
+         * Extra _clock.ref() is required to stop toggle references from
+         * triggering garbage collection every time the clock emits a tick.
+         */
+        this._clock.ref();
         this._clock.bind_property('clock', this._clockDisplay, 'text', GObject.BindingFlags.SYNC_CREATE);
-        this._clock.connect('notify::timezone', this._updateTimeZone.bind(this));
+        this._timezoneChangedId = this._clock.connect('notify::timezone', this._updateTimeZone.bind(this));
 
         Main.sessionMode.connect('updated', this._sessionUpdated.bind(this));
         this._sessionUpdated();
+
+        this.connect('destroy', this._onDestroy.bind(this));
+    }
+
+    _onDestroy() {
+        this._clock.disconnect(this._timezoneChangedId);
+        this._clock.unref();
+        this._clock = null;
     }
 
     _getEventSource() {
diff --git a/js/ui/unlockDialog.js b/js/ui/unlockDialog.js
index 3ef6aa90f053d75d6db50e30c6f8bb58079e8ae6..eed2f8f86a7df536adaa12c6f989d1ca1cbb4753 100644
--- a/js/ui/unlockDialog.js
+++ b/js/ui/unlockDialog.js
@@ -338,7 +338,12 @@ class UnlockDialogClock extends St.BoxLayout {
         this.add_child(this._hint);
 
         this._wallClock = new GnomeDesktop.WallClock({ time_only: true });
-        this._wallClock.connect('notify::clock', this._updateClock.bind(this));
+        /*
+         * Extra _wallClock.ref() is required to stop toggle references from
+         * triggering garbage collection every time the clock emits a tick.
+         */
+        this._wallClock.ref();
+        this._notifyClockId = this._wallClock.connect('notify::clock', this._updateClock.bind(this));
 
         this._seat = Clutter.get_default_backend().get_default_seat();
         this._touchModeChangedId = this._seat.connect('notify::touch-mode',
@@ -379,7 +384,9 @@ class UnlockDialogClock extends St.BoxLayout {
     }
 
     _onDestroy() {
-        this._wallClock.run_dispose();
+        this._wallClock.disconnect(this._notifyClockId);
+        this._wallClock.unref();
+        this._wallClock = null;
 
         this._seat.disconnect(this._touchModeChangedId);
         this._idleMonitor.remove_watch(this._idleWatchId);