diff --git a/names.c b/names.c
index de4b30cc..46708bce 100644
--- a/names.c
+++ b/names.c
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ window_name_callback(unused int fd, unused short events, void *data)
 	struct window	*w = data;
 	char		*name, *wname;
 
+	if (w->active == NULL)
+		return;
+
 	if (!options_get_number(&w->options, "automatic-rename")) {
 		if (event_initialized(&w->name_timer))
 			event_del(&w->name_timer);
diff --git a/notify.c b/notify.c
index dad50b94..33fea56c 100644
--- a/notify.c
+++ b/notify.c
@@ -125,7 +125,8 @@ notify_drain(void)
 		if (ne->session != NULL)
 			ne->session->references--;
 		if (ne->window != NULL)
-			ne->window->references--;
+			window_remove_ref(ne->window);
+
 		TAILQ_REMOVE(&notify_queue, ne, entry);
 		free(ne);
 	}
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 10d4f03d..449f0676 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -2130,6 +2130,7 @@ struct window_pane *window_pane_find_down(struct window_pane *);
 struct window_pane *window_pane_find_left(struct window_pane *);
 struct window_pane *window_pane_find_right(struct window_pane *);
 void		 window_set_name(struct window *, const char *);
+void		 window_remove_ref(struct window *);
 void		 winlink_clear_flags(struct winlink *);
 void		 window_mode_attrs(struct grid_cell *, struct options *);
 
diff --git a/window.c b/window.c
index dcf1dd04..71225a9b 100644
--- a/window.c
+++ b/window.c
@@ -182,13 +182,8 @@ winlink_remove(struct winlinks *wwl, struct winlink *wl)
 	free(wl->status_text);
 	free(wl);
 
-	if (w != NULL) {
-		if (w->references == 0)
-			fatal("bad reference count");
-		w->references--;
-		if (w->references == 0)
-			window_destroy(w);
-	}
+	if (w != NULL)
+		window_remove_ref(w);
 }
 
 struct winlink *
@@ -362,6 +357,16 @@ window_destroy(struct window *w)
 	free(w);
 }
 
+void
+window_remove_ref(struct window *w)
+{
+	if (w->references == 0)
+		fatal("bad reference count");
+	w->references--;
+	if (w->references == 0)
+		window_destroy(w);
+}
+
 void
 window_set_name(struct window *w, const char *new_name)
 {