diff --git a/rapid/plugin/group_replication/libmysqlgcs/src/bindings/xcom/xcom/xcom_base.c b/rapid/plugin/group_replication/libmysqlgcs/src/bindings/xcom/xcom/xcom_base.c
index a05b9f38508e..34124e940c99 100644
--- a/rapid/plugin/group_replication/libmysqlgcs/src/bindings/xcom/xcom/xcom_base.c
+++ b/rapid/plugin/group_replication/libmysqlgcs/src/bindings/xcom/xcom/xcom_base.c
@@ -4006,7 +4006,11 @@ int	acceptor_learner_task(task_arg arg)
 			common to both the sender_task, reply_handler_task,  and the ac‐
 			ceptor_learner_task.
 		*/
+		// Allow the previous server reference to be freed.
+		if (ep->srv) srv_unref(ep->srv);
 		ep->srv = get_server(site, ep->p->from);
+		// Prevent the new server reference from being freed.
+		if (ep->srv) srv_ref(ep->srv);
 		ep->p->refcnt = 1; /* Refcnt from other end is void here */
 		MAY_DBG(FN;
 				NDBG(ep->rfd.fd, d); NDBG(task_now(), f);
@@ -4120,6 +4124,8 @@ int	acceptor_learner_task(task_arg arg)
 	if (ep->buf)
 		X_FREE(ep->buf);
 	free(ep->in_buf);
+	// Allow the server reference to be freed.
+	if (ep->srv) srv_unref(ep->srv);
 
 	TASK_END;
 }
diff --git a/rapid/plugin/group_replication/libmysqlgcs/src/bindings/xcom/xcom/xcom_transport.c b/rapid/plugin/group_replication/libmysqlgcs/src/bindings/xcom/xcom/xcom_transport.c
index a29b024c6a33..3e324ed65999 100644
--- a/rapid/plugin/group_replication/libmysqlgcs/src/bindings/xcom/xcom/xcom_transport.c
+++ b/rapid/plugin/group_replication/libmysqlgcs/src/bindings/xcom/xcom/xcom_transport.c
@@ -747,6 +747,12 @@ mksrv(char *srv, xcom_port port)
 		s->reply_handler = task_new(reply_handler_task, void_arg(s), "reply_handler_task", XCOM_THREAD_DEBUG);
 	}
 	reset_srv_buf(&s->out_buf);
+	/*
+	 Keep the server from being freed if the acceptor_learner_task calls
+	 srv_unref on the server before the {local_,}server_task and
+	 reply_handler_task begin.
+	*/
+	srv_ref(s);
 	return s;
 }
 
@@ -872,6 +878,9 @@ static void shut_srv(server *s)
 		task_terminate(s->sender);
 	if (s->reply_handler)
 		task_terminate(s->reply_handler);
+
+	// Allow the server to be freed. This unref pairs with the ref from mksrv.
+	srv_unref(s);
 }