diff --git a/opal/mca/pmix/pmix120/pmix/src/client/pmix_client.c b/opal/mca/pmix/pmix120/pmix/src/client/pmix_client.c
index 22f9315725..4be09eaa00 100644
--- a/opal/mca/pmix/pmix120/pmix/src/client/pmix_client.c
+++ b/opal/mca/pmix/pmix120/pmix/src/client/pmix_client.c
@@ -1443,7 +1443,7 @@ static void dereg_errhandler(int sd, short args, void *cbdata)
     } else {
         cd->cbfunc.opcbfn(PMIX_ERR_NOT_FOUND, cd->cbdata);
     }
-    OBJ_RELEASE(cd);
+    PMIX_RELEASE(cd);
 }
 
 void pmix_client_deregister_errhandler(int errhandler_ref,
diff --git a/opal/mca/pmix/pmix120/pmix/src/server/pmix_server.c b/opal/mca/pmix/pmix120/pmix/src/server/pmix_server.c
index 922ac765a6..04dd1eafd0 100644
--- a/opal/mca/pmix/pmix120/pmix/src/server/pmix_server.c
+++ b/opal/mca/pmix/pmix120/pmix/src/server/pmix_server.c
@@ -1279,7 +1279,7 @@ static void dereg_errhandler(int sd, short args, void *cbdata)
     if (NULL != cd->cbfunc.opcbfn) {
         cd->cbfunc.opcbfn(rc, cd->cbdata);
     }
-    OBJ_RELEASE(cd);
+    PMIX_RELEASE(cd);
 }
 
 void pmix_server_deregister_errhandler(int errhandler_ref,