diff --git a/gio/gdbusserver.c b/gio/gdbusserver.c
index 26f8dadd0..4a8dab0ea 100644
--- a/gio/gdbusserver.c
+++ b/gio/gdbusserver.c
@@ -179,6 +179,8 @@ g_dbus_server_finalize (GObject *object)
 {
   GDBusServer *server = G_DBUS_SERVER (object);
 
+  g_assert (!server->active);
+
   if (server->authentication_observer != NULL)
     g_object_unref (server->authentication_observer);
 
@@ -197,19 +199,8 @@ g_dbus_server_finalize (GObject *object)
       g_free (server->nonce);
     }
 
-  if (server->unix_socket_path)
-    {
-      if (g_unlink (server->unix_socket_path) != 0)
-        g_warning ("Failed to delete %s: %s", server->unix_socket_path, g_strerror (errno));
-      g_free (server->unix_socket_path);
-    }
-
-  if (server->nonce_file)
-    {
-      if (g_unlink (server->nonce_file) != 0)
-        g_warning ("Failed to delete %s: %s", server->nonce_file, g_strerror (errno));
-      g_free (server->nonce_file);
-    }
+  g_free (server->unix_socket_path);
+  g_free (server->nonce_file);
 
   g_main_context_unref (server->main_context_at_construction);
 
@@ -622,6 +613,12 @@ g_dbus_server_start (GDBusServer *server)
     return;
   /* Right now we don't have any transport not using the listener... */
   g_assert (server->is_using_listener);
+  server->run_signal_handler_id = g_signal_connect_data (G_SOCKET_SERVICE (server->listener),
+                                                         "run",
+                                                         G_CALLBACK (on_run),
+                                                         g_object_ref (server),
+                                                         (GClosureNotify) g_object_unref,
+                                                         0  /* flags */);
   g_socket_service_start (G_SOCKET_SERVICE (server->listener));
   server->active = TRUE;
   g_object_notify (G_OBJECT (server), "active");
@@ -648,6 +645,18 @@ g_dbus_server_stop (GDBusServer *server)
   g_socket_service_stop (G_SOCKET_SERVICE (server->listener));
   server->active = FALSE;
   g_object_notify (G_OBJECT (server), "active");
+
+  if (server->unix_socket_path)
+    {
+      if (g_unlink (server->unix_socket_path) != 0)
+        g_warning ("Failed to delete %s: %s", server->unix_socket_path, g_strerror (errno));
+    }
+
+  if (server->nonce_file)
+    {
+      if (g_unlink (server->nonce_file) != 0)
+        g_warning ("Failed to delete %s: %s", server->nonce_file, g_strerror (errno));
+    }
 }
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -1159,15 +1168,7 @@ initable_init (GInitable     *initable,
 
   if (ret)
     {
-      if (last_error != NULL)
-        g_error_free (last_error);
-
-      /* Right now we don't have any transport not using the listener... */
-      g_assert (server->is_using_listener);
-      server->run_signal_handler_id = g_signal_connect (G_SOCKET_SERVICE (server->listener),
-                                                        "run",
-                                                        G_CALLBACK (on_run),
-                                                        server);
+      g_clear_error (&last_error);
     }
   else
     {