diff --git a/dlls/dmloader/container.c b/dlls/dmloader/container.c
index a267816cb62..3bee753d21f 100644
--- a/dlls/dmloader/container.c
+++ b/dlls/dmloader/container.c
@@ -68,9 +68,7 @@ static HRESULT DMUSIC_DestroyDirectMusicContainerImpl (LPDIRECTMUSICCONTAINER if
 	IStream_Release (This->pStream);
 
 	/* FIXME: release allocated entries */
-
-	/* decrease number of instances */
-	InterlockedDecrement (&dwDirectMusicContainer);
+	unlock_module();
 
 	return S_OK;
 }
@@ -924,8 +922,7 @@ HRESULT WINAPI DMUSIC_CreateDirectMusicContainerImpl (LPCGUID lpcGUID, LPVOID* p
 	obj->pContainedObjects = HeapAlloc (GetProcessHeap (), HEAP_ZERO_MEMORY, sizeof(struct list));
 	list_init (obj->pContainedObjects);
 
-	/* increase number of instances */
-	InterlockedIncrement (&dwDirectMusicContainer);
-	
+	lock_module();
+
 	return IDirectMusicContainerImpl_IDirectMusicContainer_QueryInterface ((LPDIRECTMUSICCONTAINER)&obj->ContainerVtbl, lpcGUID, ppobj);
 }
diff --git a/dlls/dmloader/dmloader_main.c b/dlls/dmloader/dmloader_main.c
index 80e115e7f66..95a3936adec 100644
--- a/dlls/dmloader/dmloader_main.c
+++ b/dlls/dmloader/dmloader_main.c
@@ -23,8 +23,7 @@
 WINE_DEFAULT_DEBUG_CHANNEL(dmloader);
 
 static HINSTANCE instance;
-LONG dwDirectMusicContainer = 0;
-LONG dwDirectMusicLoader = 0;
+LONG module_ref = 0;
 
 typedef struct {
     IClassFactory IClassFactory_iface;
@@ -61,14 +60,14 @@ static HRESULT WINAPI ClassFactory_QueryInterface(IClassFactory *iface, REFIID r
 
 static ULONG WINAPI ClassFactory_AddRef(IClassFactory *iface)
 {
-    InterlockedIncrement(&dwDirectMusicLoader);
+    lock_module();
 
     return 2; /* non-heap based object */
 }
 
 static ULONG WINAPI ClassFactory_Release(IClassFactory *iface)
 {
-    InterlockedDecrement(&dwDirectMusicLoader);
+    unlock_module();
 
     return 1; /* non-heap based object */
 }
@@ -88,9 +87,9 @@ static HRESULT WINAPI ClassFactory_LockServer(IClassFactory *iface, BOOL dolock)
     TRACE("(%d)\n", dolock);
 
     if (dolock)
-        InterlockedIncrement(&dwDirectMusicLoader);
+        lock_module();
     else
-        InterlockedDecrement(&dwDirectMusicLoader);
+        unlock_module();
 
     return S_OK;
 }
@@ -127,14 +126,10 @@ BOOL WINAPI DllMain (HINSTANCE hinstDLL, DWORD fdwReason, LPVOID lpvReserved) {
  */
 HRESULT WINAPI DllCanUnloadNow (void)
 {
-    TRACE("(void)\n");
-	/* if there are no instances left, it's safe to release */
-	if (!dwDirectMusicContainer && !dwDirectMusicLoader)
-		return S_OK;
-	else
-    	return S_FALSE;
-}
+    TRACE("() ref=%d\n", module_ref);
 
+    return module_ref ? S_FALSE : S_OK;
+}
 
 /******************************************************************
  *		DllGetClassObject (DMLOADER.@)
diff --git a/dlls/dmloader/dmloader_private.h b/dlls/dmloader/dmloader_private.h
index d8e520b86c7..a6de708cdaa 100644
--- a/dlls/dmloader/dmloader_private.h
+++ b/dlls/dmloader/dmloader_private.h
@@ -45,8 +45,9 @@
 #define ICOM_THIS_MULTI(impl,field,iface) impl* const This=(impl*)((char*)(iface) - offsetof(impl,field))
 
 /* dmloader.dll global (for DllCanUnloadNow) */
-extern LONG dwDirectMusicLoader DECLSPEC_HIDDEN; /* number of DirectMusicLoader(CF) instances */
-extern LONG dwDirectMusicContainer DECLSPEC_HIDDEN; /* number of DirectMusicContainer(CF) instances */
+extern LONG module_ref DECLSPEC_HIDDEN;
+static inline void lock_module(void) { InterlockedIncrement( &module_ref ); }
+static inline void unlock_module(void) { InterlockedDecrement( &module_ref ); }
 
 /*****************************************************************************
  * Interfaces
diff --git a/dlls/dmloader/loader.c b/dlls/dmloader/loader.c
index 0e9748d9e58..e83444d93c3 100644
--- a/dlls/dmloader/loader.c
+++ b/dlls/dmloader/loader.c
@@ -104,11 +104,9 @@ static ULONG WINAPI IDirectMusicLoaderImpl_IDirectMusicLoader_Release (LPDIRECTM
             /*This->CritSect.DebugInfo->Spare[0] = 0;
               DeleteCriticalSection (&This->CritSect); */
             HeapFree (GetProcessHeap(), 0, This);
-
-            /* decrease number of instances */
-            InterlockedDecrement (&dwDirectMusicLoader);
+            unlock_module();
 	}
-	
+
 	return dwRef;
 }
 
@@ -895,9 +893,8 @@ HRESULT WINAPI DMUSIC_CreateDirectMusicLoaderImpl (LPCGUID lpcGUID, LPVOID *ppob
 		pDefaultDLSEntry->bInvalidDefaultDLS = TRUE;
 	}
 
-	/* increase number of instances */
-	InterlockedIncrement (&dwDirectMusicLoader);
-	
+        lock_module();
+
 	return IDirectMusicLoaderImpl_IDirectMusicLoader_QueryInterface ((LPDIRECTMUSICLOADER8)obj, lpcGUID, ppobj);
 }