diff --git a/lib/filterx/filterx-object.c b/lib/filterx/filterx-object.c
index 5c962e1e7..260ca1286 100644
--- a/lib/filterx/filterx-object.c
+++ b/lib/filterx/filterx-object.c
@@ -131,37 +131,6 @@ filterx_object_unfreeze_and_free(FilterXObject *self)
   filterx_object_unref(self);
 }
 
-FilterXObject *
-filterx_object_ref(FilterXObject *self)
-{
-  if (!self)
-    return NULL;
-
-  if (filterx_object_is_frozen(self))
-    return self;
-
-  g_atomic_counter_inc(&self->ref_cnt);
-
-  return self;
-}
-
-void
-filterx_object_unref(FilterXObject *self)
-{
-  if (!self)
-    return;
-
-  if (filterx_object_is_frozen(self))
-    return;
-
-  g_assert(g_atomic_counter_get(&self->ref_cnt) > 0);
-  if (g_atomic_counter_dec_and_test(&self->ref_cnt))
-    {
-      self->type->free_fn(self);
-      g_free(self);
-    }
-}
-
 FilterXType FILTERX_TYPE_NAME(object) =
 {
   .super_type = NULL,
diff --git a/lib/filterx/filterx-object.h b/lib/filterx/filterx-object.h
index 2faee0049..e321cf16c 100644
--- a/lib/filterx/filterx-object.h
+++ b/lib/filterx/filterx-object.h
@@ -102,8 +102,6 @@ FilterXObject *filterx_object_getattr_string(FilterXObject *self, const gchar *a
 gboolean filterx_object_setattr_string(FilterXObject *self, const gchar *attr_name, FilterXObject **new_value);
 
 FilterXObject *filterx_object_new(FilterXType *type);
-FilterXObject *filterx_object_ref(FilterXObject *self);
-void filterx_object_unref(FilterXObject *self);
 gboolean filterx_object_freeze(FilterXObject *self);
 void filterx_object_unfreeze_and_free(FilterXObject *self);
 void filterx_object_init_instance(FilterXObject *self, FilterXType *type);
@@ -115,6 +113,37 @@ filterx_object_is_frozen(FilterXObject *self)
   return g_atomic_counter_get(&self->ref_cnt) == FILTERX_OBJECT_MAGIC_BIAS;
 }
 
+static inline FilterXObject *
+filterx_object_ref(FilterXObject *self)
+{
+  if (!self)
+    return NULL;
+
+  if (filterx_object_is_frozen(self))
+    return self;
+
+  g_atomic_counter_inc(&self->ref_cnt);
+
+  return self;
+}
+
+static inline void
+filterx_object_unref(FilterXObject *self)
+{
+  if (!self)
+    return;
+
+  if (filterx_object_is_frozen(self))
+    return;
+
+  g_assert(g_atomic_counter_get(&self->ref_cnt) > 0);
+  if (g_atomic_counter_dec_and_test(&self->ref_cnt))
+    {
+      self->type->free_fn(self);
+      g_free(self);
+    }
+}
+
 static inline void
 filterx_object_make_readonly(FilterXObject *self)
 {