diff --git a/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.c b/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.c
index 6b3580d357..16604b64ed 100644
--- a/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.c
+++ b/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ 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 7ad64a7804..20890be925 100644
--- a/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.h
+++ b/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ 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 f6f988d411..efa0e5d6c0 100644
--- a/src/core/linux/SDL_ibus.c
+++ b/src/core/linux/SDL_ibus.c
@@ -483,6 +483,9 @@ 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) {