diff --git a/crates/libs/core/src/imp/ref_count.rs b/crates/libs/core/src/imp/ref_count.rs
index 6f179f28ae..25c0072623 100644
--- a/crates/libs/core/src/imp/ref_count.rs
+++ b/crates/libs/core/src/imp/ref_count.rs
@@ -1,19 +1,28 @@
-use std::sync::atomic::{fence, AtomicI32, Ordering};
+use std::sync::atomic::{fence, AtomicU32, Ordering};
+
+const MAX_REF_COUNT: u32 = i32::MAX as _;
 
 #[doc(hidden)]
 #[repr(transparent)]
 #[derive(Default)]
-pub struct RefCount(pub(crate) AtomicI32);
+pub struct RefCount(pub(crate) AtomicU32);
 
 impl RefCount {
     /// Creates a new `RefCount` with an initial value of `1`.
     pub fn new(count: u32) -> Self {
-        Self(AtomicI32::new(count as i32))
+        if count >= MAX_REF_COUNT {
+            panic!("count must be smaller than `MAX_REF_COUNT`");
+        }
+        Self(AtomicU32::new(count))
     }
 
     /// Increments the reference count, returning the new value.
     pub fn add_ref(&self) -> u32 {
-        (self.0.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed) + 1) as u32
+        let new_count = self.0.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed) + 1;
+        if new_count >= MAX_REF_COUNT {
+            std::process::abort();
+        }
+        new_count
     }
 
     /// Decrements the reference count, returning the new value.
@@ -23,12 +32,13 @@ impl RefCount {
     pub fn release(&self) -> u32 {
         let remaining = self.0.fetch_sub(1, Ordering::Release) - 1;
 
-        match remaining.cmp(&0) {
-            std::cmp::Ordering::Equal => fence(Ordering::Acquire),
-            std::cmp::Ordering::Less => panic!("Object has been over-released."),
-            std::cmp::Ordering::Greater => {}
+        if remaining == 0 {
+            fence(Ordering::Acquire);
+        }
+        if remaining == u32::MAX {
+            panic!("Object has been over-released")
         }
 
-        remaining as u32
+        remaining
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/libs/core/src/imp/weak_ref_count.rs b/crates/libs/core/src/imp/weak_ref_count.rs
index 025d1eea6a..e7951cde65 100644
--- a/crates/libs/core/src/imp/weak_ref_count.rs
+++ b/crates/libs/core/src/imp/weak_ref_count.rs
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ impl WeakRefCount {
                 return TearOff::from_encoding(count_or_pointer);
             }
 
-            TearOff::from_strong_ptr(tear_off_ptr).strong_count.0.store(count_or_pointer as i32, Ordering::SeqCst);
+            TearOff::from_strong_ptr(tear_off_ptr).strong_count.0.store(count_or_pointer as u32, Ordering::SeqCst);
         }
     }
 }