diff --git a/libvips/iofuncs/image.c b/libvips/iofuncs/image.c
index 412b84a2..afc5afc5 100644
--- a/libvips/iofuncs/image.c
+++ b/libvips/iofuncs/image.c
@@ -1675,7 +1675,7 @@ vips_image_temp_name( void )
  * vips_image_write_line(). Write a whole image to another image with
  * vips_image_write(). 
  *
- * Returns: the new #VipsImage, or %NULL on error.
+ * Returns: (transfer full): the new #VipsImage, or %NULL on error.
  */
 VipsImage *
 vips_image_new( void )
diff --git a/libvips/iofuncs/object.c b/libvips/iofuncs/object.c
index 01313548..2ce9d4da 100644
--- a/libvips/iofuncs/object.c
+++ b/libvips/iofuncs/object.c
@@ -1478,8 +1478,10 @@ vips_object_real_summary( VipsObject *object, VipsBuf *buf )
 static void
 vips_object_real_dump( VipsObject *object, VipsBuf *buf )
 {
-	vips_buf_appendf( buf, " %s (%p)", 
-		G_OBJECT_TYPE_NAME( object ), object );
+	vips_buf_appendf( buf, " %s (%p) count=%d", 
+		G_OBJECT_TYPE_NAME( object ), 
+		object, 
+		G_OBJECT( object )->ref_count );
 
 	if( object->local_memory )
 		vips_buf_appendf( buf, " %zd bytes", object->local_memory );