diff --git a/netwerk/protocol/http/nsHttpPipeline.cpp b/netwerk/protocol/http/nsHttpPipeline.cpp
index 0efdc2e9ecd..68c8ea2f0f7 100644
--- a/netwerk/protocol/http/nsHttpPipeline.cpp
+++ b/netwerk/protocol/http/nsHttpPipeline.cpp
@@ -62,8 +62,7 @@ private:
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 nsHttpPipeline::nsHttpPipeline()
-    : mConnection(nullptr)
-    , mStatus(NS_OK)
+    : mStatus(NS_OK)
     , mRequestIsPartial(false)
     , mResponseIsPartial(false)
     , mClosed(false)
@@ -83,8 +82,6 @@ nsHttpPipeline::~nsHttpPipeline()
     // make sure we aren't still holding onto any transactions!
     Close(NS_ERROR_ABORT);
 
-    NS_IF_RELEASE(mConnection);
-
     if (mPushBackBuf)
         free(mPushBackBuf);
 }
@@ -410,13 +407,13 @@ nsHttpPipeline::SetConnection(nsAHttpConnection *conn)
     MOZ_ASSERT(PR_GetCurrentThread() == gSocketThread);
     MOZ_ASSERT(!conn || !mConnection, "already have a connection");
 
-    NS_IF_ADDREF(mConnection = conn);
+    mConnection = conn;
 }
 
 nsAHttpConnection *
 nsHttpPipeline::Connection()
 {
-    LOG(("nsHttpPipeline::Connection [this=%p conn=%x]\n", this, mConnection));
+    LOG(("nsHttpPipeline::Connection [this=%p conn=%x]\n", this, mConnection.get()));
 
     MOZ_ASSERT(PR_GetCurrentThread() == gSocketThread);
     return mConnection;
diff --git a/netwerk/protocol/http/nsHttpPipeline.h b/netwerk/protocol/http/nsHttpPipeline.h
index f0f6c128328..d97ccf56a5b 100644
--- a/netwerk/protocol/http/nsHttpPipeline.h
+++ b/netwerk/protocol/http/nsHttpPipeline.h
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ private:
     // overload of nsAHttpTransaction::QueryPipeline()
     nsHttpPipeline *QueryPipeline();
 
-    nsAHttpConnection            *mConnection;
+    nsRefPtr<nsAHttpConnection>   mConnection;
     nsTArray<nsAHttpTransaction*> mRequestQ;  // array of transactions
     nsTArray<nsAHttpTransaction*> mResponseQ; // array of transactions
     nsresult                      mStatus;