diff --git a/src/run_loop_cocoa.m b/src/run_loop_cocoa.m
index d28b517b7..9be247a29 100644
--- a/src/run_loop_cocoa.m
+++ b/src/run_loop_cocoa.m
@@ -113,21 +113,22 @@ void  cocoa_add_timer(timer_source_t * ts)
     // note: ts uses unix time: seconds since Jan 1st 1970, CF uses Jan 1st 2001 as reference date
     // printf("kCFAbsoluteTimeIntervalSince1970 = %f\n", kCFAbsoluteTimeIntervalSince1970);
     CFAbsoluteTime fireDate = ((double)ts->timeout.tv_sec) + (((double)ts->timeout.tv_usec)/1000000.0) - kCFAbsoluteTimeIntervalSince1970; // unix time - since Jan 1st 1970
-    // printf("cocoa_add_timer %x, now %f, then %f\n", (int) ts, CFAbsoluteTimeGetCurrent(),fireDate);
     CFRunLoopTimerContext timerContext = {0, ts, NULL, NULL, NULL};
     CFRunLoopTimerRef timerRef = CFRunLoopTimerCreate (kCFAllocatorDefault,fireDate,0,0,0,theCFRunLoopTimerCallBack,&timerContext);
+    CFRetain(timerRef);
 
     // hack: store CFRunLoopTimerRef in next pointer of linked_item
     ts->item.next = (void *)timerRef;
-    // printf("cocoa_add_timer ref %x\n", (int) ts->item.next);
+    // printf("cocoa_add_timer %x -> %x now %f, then %f\n", (int) ts, (int) ts->item.next, CFAbsoluteTimeGetCurrent(),fireDate);
     CFRunLoopAddTimer(CFRunLoopGetCurrent(), timerRef, kCFRunLoopCommonModes);
 }
 
 int  cocoa_remove_timer(timer_source_t * ts){
-    // printf("cocoa_remove_timer ref %x\n", (int) ts->item.next);
-    // CFRunLoopRemoveTimer(CFRunLoopGetCurrent(), (CFRunLoopTimerRef) ts->item.next, kCFRunLoopCommonModes);
-    CFRunLoopTimerInvalidate((CFRunLoopTimerRef) ts->item.next);    // also removes timer from run loops
-    CFRelease((CFRunLoopTimerRef) ts->item.next);
+    // printf("cocoa_remove_timer %x -> %x\n", (int) ts, (int) ts->item.next);
+	if (ts->item.next != NULL) {
+    	CFRunLoopTimerInvalidate((CFRunLoopTimerRef) ts->item.next);    // also removes timer from run loops + releases it
+    	CFRelease((CFRunLoopTimerRef) ts->item.next);
+	}
 	return 0;
 }