diff --git a/src/pipewire/core.c b/src/pipewire/core.c
index 7e502f5f2..695a88017 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/core.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/core.c
@@ -173,14 +173,27 @@ static int remove_proxy(void *object, void *data)
 	if (object == NULL)
 		return 0;
 
-	if (object != core) {
-		p->core = NULL;
+	if (object != core)
 		pw_proxy_remove(p);
-	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int destroy_proxy(void *object, void *data)
+{
+	struct pw_core *core = data;
+	struct pw_proxy *p = object;
+
+	if (object == NULL)
+		return 0;
+
+	if (object != core) {
+		pw_log_warn(NAME" %p: destroy leaked proxy %d", core, p->id);
+		pw_proxy_destroy(p);
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static void proxy_core_removed(void *data)
 {
 	struct pw_core *core = data;
@@ -201,7 +214,6 @@ static void proxy_core_removed(void *data)
 		pw_filter_disconnect(filter);
 
 	pw_map_for_each(&core->objects, remove_proxy, core);
-	pw_map_reset(&core->objects);
 }
 
 static void proxy_core_destroy(void *data)
@@ -222,9 +234,13 @@ static void proxy_core_destroy(void *data)
 	spa_list_consume(filter, &core->filter_list, link)
 		pw_filter_destroy(filter);
 
-	pw_protocol_client_disconnect(core->conn);
 	pw_proxy_destroy((struct pw_proxy*)core->client);
 
+	pw_map_for_each(&core->objects, destroy_proxy, core);
+	pw_map_reset(&core->objects);
+
+	pw_protocol_client_disconnect(core->conn);
+
 	pw_mempool_destroy(core->pool);
 
 	pw_protocol_client_destroy(core->conn);
diff --git a/src/pipewire/proxy.c b/src/pipewire/proxy.c
index a5fb959df..f387b2fcf 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/proxy.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/proxy.c
@@ -213,8 +213,7 @@ void pw_proxy_add_object_listener(struct pw_proxy *proxy,
 static inline void remove_from_map(struct pw_proxy *proxy)
 {
 	if (proxy->in_map) {
-		if (proxy->core)
-			pw_map_remove(&proxy->core->objects, proxy->id);
+		pw_map_remove(&proxy->core->objects, proxy->id);
 		proxy->in_map = false;
 	}
 }
@@ -239,7 +238,7 @@ void pw_proxy_destroy(struct pw_proxy *proxy)
 	if (!proxy->removed) {
 		/* if the server did not remove this proxy, schedule a
 		 * destroy if we can */
-		if (proxy->core) {
+		if (!proxy->core->removed) {
 			pw_core_destroy(proxy->core, proxy);
 			proxy->refcount++;
 		} else {
@@ -303,7 +302,7 @@ int pw_proxy_sync(struct pw_proxy *proxy, int seq)
 	int res = -EIO;
 	struct pw_core *core = proxy->core;
 
-	if (core != NULL) {
+	if (!core->removed) {
 		res = pw_core_sync(core, proxy->id, seq);
 		pw_log_debug(NAME" %p: %u seq:%d sync %u", proxy, proxy->id, seq, res);
 	}
@@ -318,7 +317,7 @@ int pw_proxy_errorf(struct pw_proxy *proxy, int res, const char *error, ...)
 	struct pw_core *core = proxy->core;
 
 	va_start(ap, error);
-	if (core != NULL)
+	if (!core->removed)
 		r = pw_core_errorv(core, proxy->id,
 				core->recv_seq, res, error, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
@@ -330,7 +329,8 @@ int pw_proxy_error(struct pw_proxy *proxy, int res, const char *error)
 {
 	int r = -EIO;
 	struct pw_core *core = proxy->core;
-	if (core != NULL)
+
+	if (!core->removed)
 		r = pw_core_error(core, proxy->id,
 				core->recv_seq, res, error);
 	return r;