diff --git a/net/local/local_conn.c b/net/local/local_conn.c
index d8797c53fa..834bd23ce0 100644
--- a/net/local/local_conn.c
+++ b/net/local/local_conn.c
@@ -118,9 +118,10 @@ FAR struct local_conn_s *local_alloc(void)
        * necessary to zerio-ize any structure elements.
        */
 
+      conn->lc_crefs = 1;
+
 #ifdef CONFIG_NET_LOCAL_STREAM
       nxsem_init(&conn->lc_waitsem, 0, 0);
-
 #endif
 
       /* This semaphore is used for sending safely in multithread.
@@ -174,10 +175,6 @@ int local_alloc_accept(FAR struct local_conn_s *server,
       return -ENOMEM;
     }
 
-  /* Initialize the new connection structure */
-
-  local_addref(conn);
-
   conn->lc_proto  = SOCK_STREAM;
   conn->lc_type   = LOCAL_TYPE_PATHNAME;
   conn->lc_state  = LOCAL_STATE_CONNECTED;
diff --git a/net/local/local_sockif.c b/net/local/local_sockif.c
index 0b57ba0049..847aa2e258 100644
--- a/net/local/local_sockif.c
+++ b/net/local/local_sockif.c
@@ -139,12 +139,6 @@ static int local_sockif_alloc(FAR struct socket *psock)
       return -ENOMEM;
     }
 
-  /* Set the reference count on the connection structure.  This reference
-   * count will be incremented only if the socket is dup'ed
-   */
-
-  local_addref(conn);
-
   /* Save the pre-allocated connection in the socket structure */
 
   psock->s_conn = conn;