diff --git a/src/vim9compile.c b/src/vim9compile.c
index 06ee2f5..2b93dea 100644
--- a/src/vim9compile.c
+++ b/src/vim9compile.c
@@ -4408,7 +4408,10 @@
 	return eap->skip ? (char_u *)"" : NULL;
     if (ufunc->uf_def_status == UF_TO_BE_COMPILED
 	    && compile_def_function(ufunc, TRUE, cctx) == FAIL)
+    {
+	func_ptr_unref(ufunc);
 	return NULL;
+    }
 
     if (is_global)
     {