diff --git a/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.c b/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.c
index e8b138575..0e22a1012 100644
--- a/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.c
+++ b/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.c
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ static int LoadDBUSSyms(void)
     SDL_DBUS_SYM(connection_send);
     SDL_DBUS_SYM(connection_send_with_reply_and_block);
     SDL_DBUS_SYM(connection_close);
+    SDL_DBUS_SYM(connection_ref);
     SDL_DBUS_SYM(connection_unref);
     SDL_DBUS_SYM(connection_flush);
     SDL_DBUS_SYM(connection_read_write);
diff --git a/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.h b/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.h
index 4d895cf54..097be728f 100644
--- a/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.h
+++ b/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ typedef struct SDL_DBusContext
     dbus_bool_t (*connection_send)(DBusConnection *, DBusMessage *, dbus_uint32_t *);
     DBusMessage *(*connection_send_with_reply_and_block)(DBusConnection *, DBusMessage *, int, DBusError *);
     void (*connection_close)(DBusConnection *);
+    void (*connection_ref)(DBusConnection *);
     void (*connection_unref)(DBusConnection *);
     void (*connection_flush)(DBusConnection *);
     dbus_bool_t (*connection_read_write)(DBusConnection *, int);
diff --git a/src/core/linux/SDL_ibus.c b/src/core/linux/SDL_ibus.c
index dfb7c8637..9db5168b6 100644
--- a/src/core/linux/SDL_ibus.c
+++ b/src/core/linux/SDL_ibus.c
@@ -484,6 +484,9 @@ static SDL_bool IBus_SetupConnection(SDL_DBusContext *dbus, const char *addr)
         result = SDL_DBus_CallMethodOnConnection(ibus_conn, ibus_service, IBUS_PATH, ibus_interface, "CreateInputContext",
                                                  DBUS_TYPE_STRING, &client_name, DBUS_TYPE_INVALID,
                                                  DBUS_TYPE_OBJECT_PATH, &path, DBUS_TYPE_INVALID);
+    } else {
+        /* re-using dbus->session_conn */
+        dbus->connection_ref(ibus_conn);
     }
 
     if (result) {