diff --git a/media/audio/pulse/pulse_util.cc b/media/audio/pulse/pulse_util.cc
index beaf50810e707..b9d1c7df89173 100644
--- a/media/audio/pulse/pulse_util.cc
+++ b/media/audio/pulse/pulse_util.cc
@@ -676,11 +676,9 @@ void MuteAllSinksExcept(pa_threaded_mainloop* mainloop,
       },
       (void*)&exclude_sink_name);
 
+  // WaitForOperationCompletion() consumes the caller's reference and unrefs
+  // `op` on every exit path; do NOT unref again here.
   WaitForOperationCompletion(mainloop, op, context);
-  // Clean up the operation after completion
-  if (op) {
-    pa_operation_unref(op);
-  }
 }
 
 // Unmutes all audio output sinks in the system.
@@ -715,11 +713,9 @@ void UnmuteAllSinks(pa_threaded_mainloop* mainloop, pa_context* context) {
       mainloop  // Pass mainloop as userdata
   );
 
+  // WaitForOperationCompletion() consumes the caller's reference and unrefs
+  // `op` on every exit path; do NOT unref again here.
   WaitForOperationCompletion(mainloop, op, context);
-  // Wait for the operation to complete to ensure all sinks are unmuted.
-  if (op) {
-    pa_operation_unref(op);
-  }
 }
 
 std::string GetBusOfInput(pa_threaded_mainloop* mainloop,