diff --git a/mem/buffers.go b/mem/buffers.go
index 140eb7d5a4c7..b55ef4cc2c4a 100644
--- a/mem/buffers.go
+++ b/mem/buffers.go
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ func (b *buffer) split(n int) (Buffer, Buffer) {
 		panic("Cannot split freed buffer")
 	}
 
+	b.refs.Add(100)
 	b.Ref()
 	split := newBuffer()
 	split.origData = b.origData