diff --git a/src/rt/rust_chan.cpp b/src/rt/rust_chan.cpp
index 3065a55e5826..78301e3d879d 100644
--- a/src/rt/rust_chan.cpp
+++ b/src/rt/rust_chan.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 rust_chan::rust_chan(rust_task *task,
                      maybe_proxy<rust_port> *port,
                      size_t unit_sz) :
+                     ref_count(1),
                      task(task),
                      port(port),
                      buffer(task, unit_sz) {
diff --git a/src/rt/rust_chan.h b/src/rt/rust_chan.h
index a327dbf0c95d..4172ca5f09d8 100644
--- a/src/rt/rust_chan.h
+++ b/src/rt/rust_chan.h
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 #ifndef RUST_CHAN_H
 #define RUST_CHAN_H
 
-class rust_chan : public rc_base<rust_chan>,
-                  public task_owned<rust_chan>,
+class rust_chan : public task_owned<rust_chan>,
                   public rust_cond {
 public:
+    RUST_REFCOUNTED_WITH_DTOR(rust_chan, destroy())
     rust_chan(rust_task *task, maybe_proxy<rust_port> *port, size_t unit_sz);
 
     ~rust_chan();