diff --git a/dlls/dwrite/tests/layout.c b/dlls/dwrite/tests/layout.c
index 13d27daa8d8..54056c7ff41 100644
--- a/dlls/dwrite/tests/layout.c
+++ b/dlls/dwrite/tests/layout.c
@@ -225,9 +225,10 @@ static void get_script_analysis(const WCHAR *str, UINT32 len, DWRITE_SCRIPT_ANAL
 #define EXPECT_REF(obj,ref) _expect_ref((IUnknown*)obj, ref, __LINE__)
 static void _expect_ref(IUnknown* obj, ULONG ref, int line)
 {
-    ULONG rc = IUnknown_AddRef(obj);
-    IUnknown_Release(obj);
-    ok_(__FILE__,line)(rc-1 == ref, "expected refcount %d, got %d\n", ref, rc-1);
+    ULONG rc;
+    IUnknown_AddRef(obj);
+    rc = IUnknown_Release(obj);
+    ok_(__FILE__,line)(rc == ref, "expected refcount %d, got %d\n", ref, rc);
 }
 
 enum drawcall_modifiers_kind {