diff --git a/app/pdb/gimp-cmds.c b/app/pdb/gimp-cmds.c
index 713f3f7ba6..1d09d3c024 100644
--- a/app/pdb/gimp-cmds.c
+++ b/app/pdb/gimp-cmds.c
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ temp_file_invoker (GimpProcedure         *procedure,
                                                   error ? *error : NULL);
 
   if (success)
-    g_value_set_object (gimp_value_array_index (return_vals, 1), file);
+    g_value_take_object (gimp_value_array_index (return_vals, 1), file);
 
   return return_vals;
 }
diff --git a/app/pdb/image-cmds.c b/app/pdb/image-cmds.c
index eda00515b7..ab88ff77b0 100644
--- a/app/pdb/image-cmds.c
+++ b/app/pdb/image-cmds.c
@@ -2318,13 +2318,15 @@ image_get_file_invoker (GimpProcedure         *procedure,
   if (success)
     {
       file = gimp_image_get_any_file (image);
+      if (file)
+        g_object_ref (file);
     }
 
   return_vals = gimp_procedure_get_return_values (procedure, success,
                                                   error ? *error : NULL);
 
   if (success)
-    g_value_set_object (gimp_value_array_index (return_vals, 1), file);
+    g_value_take_object (gimp_value_array_index (return_vals, 1), file);
 
   return return_vals;
 }
@@ -2396,13 +2398,15 @@ image_get_xcf_file_invoker (GimpProcedure         *procedure,
   if (success)
     {
       file = gimp_image_get_file (image);
+      if (file)
+        g_object_ref (file);
     }
 
   return_vals = gimp_procedure_get_return_values (procedure, success,
                                                   error ? *error : NULL);
 
   if (success)
-    g_value_set_object (gimp_value_array_index (return_vals, 1), file);
+    g_value_take_object (gimp_value_array_index (return_vals, 1), file);
 
   return return_vals;
 }
@@ -2425,13 +2429,15 @@ image_get_imported_file_invoker (GimpProcedure         *procedure,
   if (success)
     {
       file = gimp_image_get_imported_file (image);
+      if (file)
+        g_object_ref (file);
     }
 
   return_vals = gimp_procedure_get_return_values (procedure, success,
                                                   error ? *error : NULL);
 
   if (success)
-    g_value_set_object (gimp_value_array_index (return_vals, 1), file);
+    g_value_take_object (gimp_value_array_index (return_vals, 1), file);
 
   return return_vals;
 }
@@ -2454,13 +2460,15 @@ image_get_exported_file_invoker (GimpProcedure         *procedure,
   if (success)
     {
       file = gimp_image_get_exported_file (image);
+      if (file)
+        g_object_ref (file);
     }
 
   return_vals = gimp_procedure_get_return_values (procedure, success,
                                                   error ? *error : NULL);
 
   if (success)
-    g_value_set_object (gimp_value_array_index (return_vals, 1), file);
+    g_value_take_object (gimp_value_array_index (return_vals, 1), file);
 
   return return_vals;
 }
diff --git a/app/pdb/link-layer-cmds.c b/app/pdb/link-layer-cmds.c
index 8c1a65b4b4..235b35ee97 100644
--- a/app/pdb/link-layer-cmds.c
+++ b/app/pdb/link-layer-cmds.c
@@ -166,14 +166,14 @@ link_layer_get_file_invoker (GimpProcedure         *procedure,
 
   if (success)
     {
-      file = gimp_link_get_file (gimp_link_layer_get_link (layer), NULL, NULL);
+      file = g_object_ref (gimp_link_get_file (gimp_link_layer_get_link (layer), NULL, NULL));
     }
 
   return_vals = gimp_procedure_get_return_values (procedure, success,
                                                   error ? *error : NULL);
 
   if (success)
-    g_value_set_object (gimp_value_array_index (return_vals, 1), file);
+    g_value_take_object (gimp_value_array_index (return_vals, 1), file);
 
   return return_vals;
 }
diff --git a/pdb/groups/image.pdb b/pdb/groups/image.pdb
index 339a859529..34f06484a8 100644
--- a/pdb/groups/image.pdb
+++ b/pdb/groups/image.pdb
@@ -2414,6 +2414,8 @@ HELP
         code => <<'CODE'
 {
   file = gimp_image_get_any_file (image);
+  if (file)
+    g_object_ref (file);
 }
 CODE
     );
@@ -2500,6 +2502,8 @@ HELP
         code => <<'CODE'
 {
   file = gimp_image_get_file (image);
+  if (file)
+    g_object_ref (file);
 }
 CODE
     );
@@ -2534,6 +2538,8 @@ HELP
         code => <<'CODE'
 {
   file = gimp_image_get_imported_file (image);
+  if (file)
+    g_object_ref (file);
 }
 CODE
     );
@@ -2567,6 +2573,8 @@ HELP
         code => <<'CODE'
 {
   file = gimp_image_get_exported_file (image);
+  if (file)
+    g_object_ref (file);
 }
 CODE
     );
diff --git a/pdb/groups/link_layer.pdb b/pdb/groups/link_layer.pdb
index 6fde88cfc2..84b9936bf6 100644
--- a/pdb/groups/link_layer.pdb
+++ b/pdb/groups/link_layer.pdb
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ HELP
     %invoke = (
         code => <<'CODE'
 {
-  file = gimp_link_get_file (gimp_link_layer_get_link (layer), NULL, NULL);
+  file = g_object_ref (gimp_link_get_file (gimp_link_layer_get_link (layer), NULL, NULL));
 }
 CODE
     );
diff --git a/pdb/pdb.pl b/pdb/pdb.pl
index a1a108cadb..2aeb5bbc8f 100644
--- a/pdb/pdb.pl
+++ b/pdb/pdb.pl
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ package Gimp::CodeGen::pdb;
 		     get_value_func  => '$var = g_value_get_object ($value)',
 		     dup_value_func  => '$var = GIMP_VALUES_DUP_FILE ($value)',
 		     set_value_func  => 'g_value_set_object ($value, $var)',
-		     take_value_func => 'g_value_set_object ($value, $var)' },
+		     take_value_func => 'g_value_take_object ($value, $var)' },
 
     parasite    => { name            => 'PARASITE',
 		     gtype           => 'GIMP_TYPE_PARASITE',