diff --git a/src/pulsecore/refcnt.h b/src/pulsecore/refcnt.h
index 64271ab27..f0885fb48 100644
--- a/src/pulsecore/refcnt.h
+++ b/src/pulsecore/refcnt.h
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@
 #define PA_REFCNT_INIT(p) \
     pa_atomic_store(&(p)->_ref, 1)
 
+#define PA_REFCNT_INIT_ZERO(p) \
+    pa_atomic_store(&(p)->_ref, 0)
+
 #define PA_REFCNT_INC(p) \
     pa_atomic_inc(&(p)->_ref)