diff --git a/include/aws/s3/s3_client.h b/include/aws/s3/s3_client.h
index 8b36eaf7b..f061f17da 100644
--- a/include/aws/s3/s3_client.h
+++ b/include/aws/s3/s3_client.h
@@ -453,11 +453,23 @@ struct aws_s3_client *aws_s3_client_new(
     struct aws_allocator *allocator,
     const struct aws_s3_client_config *client_config);
 
+/**
+ * Add a reference, keeping this object alive.
+ * The reference must be released when you are done with it, or it's memory will never be cleaned up.
+ * You must not pass in NULL.
+ * Always returns the same pointer that was passed in.
+ */
 AWS_S3_API
-void aws_s3_client_acquire(struct aws_s3_client *client);
+struct aws_s3_client *aws_s3_client_acquire(struct aws_s3_client *client);
 
+/**
+ * Release a reference.
+ * When the reference count drops to 0, this object will be cleaned up.
+ * It's OK to pass in NULL (nothing happens).
+ * Always returns NULL.
+ */
 AWS_S3_API
-void aws_s3_client_release(struct aws_s3_client *client);
+struct aws_s3_client *aws_s3_client_release(struct aws_s3_client *client);
 
 AWS_S3_API
 struct aws_s3_meta_request *aws_s3_client_make_meta_request(
@@ -505,11 +517,23 @@ void aws_s3_meta_request_cancel(struct aws_s3_meta_request *meta_request);
 AWS_S3_API
 int aws_s3_meta_request_pause(struct aws_s3_meta_request *meta_request, struct aws_string **out_resume_token);
 
+/**
+ * Add a reference, keeping this object alive.
+ * The reference must be released when you are done with it, or it's memory will never be cleaned up.
+ * You must not pass in NULL.
+ * Always returns the same pointer that was passed in.
+ */
 AWS_S3_API
-void aws_s3_meta_request_acquire(struct aws_s3_meta_request *meta_request);
+struct aws_s3_meta_request *aws_s3_meta_request_acquire(struct aws_s3_meta_request *meta_request);
 
+/**
+ * Release a reference.
+ * When the reference count drops to 0, this object will be cleaned up.
+ * It's OK to pass in NULL (nothing happens).
+ * Always returns NULL.
+ */
 AWS_S3_API
-void aws_s3_meta_request_release(struct aws_s3_meta_request *meta_request);
+struct aws_s3_meta_request *aws_s3_meta_request_release(struct aws_s3_meta_request *meta_request);
 
 AWS_S3_API
 void aws_s3_init_default_signing_config(
diff --git a/source/s3_client.c b/source/s3_client.c
index 2a7fb1d85..43ad6f974 100644
--- a/source/s3_client.c
+++ b/source/s3_client.c
@@ -476,18 +476,19 @@ struct aws_s3_client *aws_s3_client_new(
     return NULL;
 }
 
-void aws_s3_client_acquire(struct aws_s3_client *client) {
+struct aws_s3_client *aws_s3_client_acquire(struct aws_s3_client *client) {
     AWS_PRECONDITION(client);
 
     aws_ref_count_acquire(&client->ref_count);
+    return client;
 }
 
-void aws_s3_client_release(struct aws_s3_client *client) {
-    if (client == NULL) {
-        return;
+struct aws_s3_client *aws_s3_client_release(struct aws_s3_client *client) {
+    if (client != NULL) {
+        aws_ref_count_release(&client->ref_count);
     }
 
-    aws_ref_count_release(&client->ref_count);
+    return NULL;
 }
 
 static void s_s3_client_start_destroy(void *user_data) {
@@ -830,8 +831,7 @@ struct aws_s3_meta_request *aws_s3_client_make_meta_request(
             aws_last_error(),
             aws_error_str(aws_last_error()));
 
-        aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_request);
-        meta_request = NULL;
+        meta_request = aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_request);
     } else {
         AWS_LOGF_INFO(AWS_LS_S3_CLIENT, "id=%p: Created meta request %p", (void *)client, (void *)meta_request);
     }
@@ -1165,8 +1165,7 @@ static void s_s3_client_process_work_default(struct aws_s3_client *client) {
 
             meta_request->client_process_work_threaded_data.scheduled = true;
         } else {
-            aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_request);
-            meta_request = NULL;
+            meta_request = aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_request);
         }
 
         aws_mem_release(client->allocator, meta_request_work);
diff --git a/source/s3_meta_request.c b/source/s3_meta_request.c
index 5b54c17f5..42c1f9111 100644
--- a/source/s3_meta_request.c
+++ b/source/s3_meta_request.c
@@ -368,18 +368,19 @@ bool aws_s3_meta_request_has_finish_result_synced(struct aws_s3_meta_request *me
     return true;
 }
 
-void aws_s3_meta_request_acquire(struct aws_s3_meta_request *meta_request) {
+struct aws_s3_meta_request *aws_s3_meta_request_acquire(struct aws_s3_meta_request *meta_request) {
     AWS_PRECONDITION(meta_request);
 
     aws_ref_count_acquire(&meta_request->ref_count);
+    return meta_request;
 }
 
-void aws_s3_meta_request_release(struct aws_s3_meta_request *meta_request) {
-    if (meta_request == NULL) {
-        return;
+struct aws_s3_meta_request *aws_s3_meta_request_release(struct aws_s3_meta_request *meta_request) {
+    if (meta_request != NULL) {
+        aws_ref_count_release(&meta_request->ref_count);
     }
 
-    aws_ref_count_release(&meta_request->ref_count);
+    return NULL;
 }
 
 static void s_s3_meta_request_destroy(void *user_data) {
@@ -402,7 +403,7 @@ static void s_s3_meta_request_destroy(void *user_data) {
     /* endpoint should have already been released and set NULL by the meta request finish call.
      * But call release() again, just in case we're tearing down a half-initialized meta request */
     aws_s3_endpoint_release(meta_request->endpoint);
-    aws_s3_client_release(meta_request->client);
+    meta_request->client = aws_s3_client_release(meta_request->client);
 
     AWS_ASSERT(aws_priority_queue_size(&meta_request->synced_data.pending_body_streaming_requests) == 0);
     aws_priority_queue_clean_up(&meta_request->synced_data.pending_body_streaming_requests);
@@ -481,14 +482,12 @@ static void s_s3_prepare_request_payload_callback_and_destroy(
     struct aws_s3_meta_request *meta_request = payload->request->meta_request;
     AWS_PRECONDITION(meta_request);
 
-    struct aws_s3_client *client = meta_request->client;
-    AWS_PRECONDITION(client);
+    AWS_PRECONDITION(meta_request->client);
+    struct aws_s3_client *client = aws_s3_client_acquire(meta_request->client);
 
     struct aws_allocator *allocator = client->allocator;
     AWS_PRECONDITION(allocator);
 
-    aws_s3_client_acquire(client);
-
     if (payload->callback != NULL) {
         payload->callback(meta_request, payload->request, error_code, payload->user_data);
     }
diff --git a/source/s3_paginator.c b/source/s3_paginator.c
index 1b5522b04..2c8506f07 100644
--- a/source/s3_paginator.c
+++ b/source/s3_paginator.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ struct aws_s3_paginator *aws_s3_initiate_paginator(
 
     struct aws_s3_paginator *paginator = aws_mem_calloc(allocator, 1, sizeof(struct aws_s3_paginator));
     paginator->allocator = allocator;
-    paginator->client = params->client;
+    paginator->client = aws_s3_client_acquire(params->client);
     paginator->operation = params->operation;
     paginator->on_page_finished = params->on_page_finished_fn;
     paginator->user_data = params->user_data;
@@ -128,7 +128,6 @@ struct aws_s3_paginator *aws_s3_initiate_paginator(
     paginator->bucket_name = aws_string_new_from_cursor(allocator, &params->bucket_name);
     paginator->endpoint = aws_string_new_from_cursor(allocator, &params->endpoint);
 
-    aws_s3_client_acquire(params->client);
     aws_s3_paginated_operation_acquire(params->operation);
 
     aws_byte_buf_init(&paginator->result_body, allocator, s_dynamic_body_initial_buf_size);
diff --git a/source/s3_request.c b/source/s3_request.c
index 35a99b847..eb3c888bb 100644
--- a/source/s3_request.c
+++ b/source/s3_request.c
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ struct aws_s3_request *aws_s3_request_new(
     aws_ref_count_init(&request->ref_count, request, (aws_simple_completion_callback *)s_s3_request_destroy);
 
     request->allocator = meta_request->allocator;
-    request->meta_request = meta_request;
-    aws_s3_meta_request_acquire(meta_request);
+    request->meta_request = aws_s3_meta_request_acquire(meta_request);
 
     request->request_tag = request_tag;
     request->part_number = part_number;
diff --git a/tests/s3_data_plane_tests.c b/tests/s3_data_plane_tests.c
index fc68fa7f6..ed4ef27a7 100644
--- a/tests/s3_data_plane_tests.c
+++ b/tests/s3_data_plane_tests.c
@@ -43,8 +43,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_client_create_destroy(struct aws_allocator *allocator, void
 
     ASSERT_TRUE(client != NULL);
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -326,8 +325,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_client_get_max_active_connections(struct aws_allocator *all
     }
 
     for (size_t i = 0; i < AWS_S3_META_REQUEST_TYPE_MAX; ++i) {
-        aws_s3_meta_request_release(mock_meta_requests[i]);
-        mock_meta_requests[i] = NULL;
+        mock_meta_requests[i] = aws_s3_meta_request_release(mock_meta_requests[i]);
     }
 
     aws_s3_client_release(mock_client);
@@ -452,8 +450,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_meta_request_body_streaming(struct aws_allocator *allocator
     ASSERT_TRUE(meta_request != NULL);
 
     struct aws_event_loop_group *event_loop_group = aws_event_loop_group_new_default(allocator, 0, NULL);
-    aws_s3_client_acquire(mock_client);
-    meta_request->client = mock_client;
+    meta_request->client = aws_s3_client_acquire(mock_client);
     meta_request->user_data = &body_streaming_user_data;
     *((size_t *)&meta_request->part_size) = request_response_body_size;
     meta_request->body_callback = s_s3_meta_request_test_body_streaming_callback;
@@ -1060,8 +1057,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_get_object_helper(
     aws_tls_ctx_options_clean_up(&tls_context_options);
 #endif
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -1226,8 +1222,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_get_object_less_than_part_size(struct aws_allocator *alloca
     ASSERT_SUCCESS(aws_s3_tester_send_get_object_meta_request(
         &tester, client, g_s3_path_get_object_test_1MB, AWS_S3_TESTER_SEND_META_REQUEST_EXPECT_SUCCESS, NULL));
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -1331,8 +1326,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_get_object_multiple(struct aws_allocator *allocator, void *
     aws_s3_tester_unlock_synced_data(&tester);
 
     for (size_t i = 0; i < num_meta_requests; ++i) {
-        aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_requests[i]);
-        meta_requests[i] = NULL;
+        meta_requests[i] = aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_requests[i]);
     }
 
     aws_s3_tester_wait_for_meta_request_shutdown(&tester);
@@ -1345,8 +1339,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_get_object_multiple(struct aws_allocator *allocator, void *
     aws_string_destroy(host_name);
     host_name = NULL;
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -1522,8 +1515,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_get_object_backpressure_helper(
      * Ensure that it's safe to call increment-window even after the meta-request has finished */
     aws_s3_meta_request_increment_read_window(meta_request, 1024);
 
-    aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_request);
-    meta_request = NULL;
+    meta_request = aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_request);
 
     aws_s3_tester_wait_for_meta_request_shutdown(&tester);
 
@@ -1535,8 +1527,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_get_object_backpressure_helper(
     aws_string_destroy(host_name);
     host_name = NULL;
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -1640,8 +1631,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_put_object_helper(
     aws_tls_ctx_options_clean_up(&tls_context_options);
 #endif
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -1751,8 +1741,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_put_object_multiple(struct aws_allocator *allocator, void *
     aws_s3_tester_unlock_synced_data(&tester);
 
     for (size_t i = 0; i < num_meta_requests; ++i) {
-        aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_requests[i]);
-        meta_requests[i] = NULL;
+        meta_requests[i] = aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_requests[i]);
     }
 
     aws_s3_tester_wait_for_meta_request_shutdown(&tester);
@@ -1771,8 +1760,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_put_object_multiple(struct aws_allocator *allocator, void *
     aws_string_destroy(host_name);
     host_name = NULL;
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -1800,8 +1788,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_put_object_less_than_part_size(struct aws_allocator *alloca
     ASSERT_SUCCESS(aws_s3_tester_send_put_object_meta_request(
         &tester, client, 1, AWS_S3_TESTER_SEND_META_REQUEST_EXPECT_SUCCESS, NULL));
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -1828,8 +1815,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_put_object_empty_object(struct aws_allocator *allocator, vo
     ASSERT_SUCCESS(aws_s3_tester_send_put_object_meta_request(
         &tester, client, 0, AWS_S3_TESTER_SEND_META_REQUEST_EXPECT_SUCCESS, NULL));
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -1861,8 +1847,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_put_object_sse_kms(struct aws_allocator *allocator, void *c
         AWS_S3_TESTER_SEND_META_REQUEST_EXPECT_SUCCESS | AWS_S3_TESTER_SEND_META_REQUEST_SSE_KMS,
         NULL));
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -1894,8 +1879,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_put_object_sse_kms_multipart(struct aws_allocator *allocato
         AWS_S3_TESTER_SEND_META_REQUEST_EXPECT_SUCCESS | AWS_S3_TESTER_SEND_META_REQUEST_SSE_KMS,
         NULL));
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -1927,8 +1911,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_put_object_sse_aes256(struct aws_allocator *allocator, void
         AWS_S3_TESTER_SEND_META_REQUEST_EXPECT_SUCCESS | AWS_S3_TESTER_SEND_META_REQUEST_SSE_AES256,
         NULL));
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -1960,8 +1943,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_put_object_sse_aes256_multipart(struct aws_allocator *alloc
         AWS_S3_TESTER_SEND_META_REQUEST_EXPECT_SUCCESS | AWS_S3_TESTER_SEND_META_REQUEST_SSE_AES256,
         NULL));
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -2001,8 +1983,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_put_object_sse_c_aes256_multipart(struct aws_allocator *all
     };
 
     ASSERT_SUCCESS(aws_s3_tester_send_meta_request_with_options(&tester, &put_options, NULL));
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -2045,8 +2026,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_put_object_sse_c_aes256_multipart_with_checksum(struct aws_
     };
 
     ASSERT_SUCCESS(aws_s3_tester_send_meta_request_with_options(&tester, &put_options, NULL));
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -2082,8 +2062,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_put_object_content_md5_helper(
 
     ASSERT_SUCCESS(aws_s3_tester_send_put_object_meta_request(&tester, client, 10, flags, NULL));
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -3018,8 +2997,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_meta_request_default(struct aws_allocator *allocator, void
 
     ASSERT_SUCCESS(aws_s3_tester_validate_get_object_results(&meta_request_test_results, 0));
 
-    aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_request);
-    meta_request = NULL;
+    meta_request = aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_request);
 
     aws_s3_tester_wait_for_meta_request_shutdown(&tester);
 
@@ -3031,8 +3009,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_meta_request_default(struct aws_allocator *allocator, void
     aws_string_destroy(host_name);
     host_name = NULL;
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -3093,8 +3070,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_error_missing_file(struct aws_allocator *allocator, void *c
 
     ASSERT_TRUE(meta_request_test_results.error_response_headers != NULL);
 
-    aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_request);
-    meta_request = NULL;
+    meta_request = aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_request);
 
     aws_s3_tester_wait_for_meta_request_shutdown(&tester);
     aws_s3_meta_request_test_results_clean_up(&meta_request_test_results);
@@ -3105,8 +3081,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_error_missing_file(struct aws_allocator *allocator, void *c
     aws_string_destroy(host_name);
     host_name = NULL;
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -3232,8 +3207,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_bad_endpoint(struct aws_allocator *allocator, void *ctx) {
 
     aws_http_message_release(message);
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -3745,8 +3719,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_put_object_clamp_part_size(struct aws_allocator *allocator,
 
     aws_s3_meta_request_test_results_clean_up(&test_results);
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -4504,8 +4477,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_copy_object_from_x_amz_copy_source(
     aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_request);
     aws_mutex_clean_up(&test_data.mutex);
     aws_http_message_destroy(message);
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -4691,8 +4663,7 @@ static int s_s3_get_object_mrap_helper(struct aws_allocator *allocator, bool mul
     ASSERT_SUCCESS(aws_s3_tester_send_meta_request_with_options(&tester, &options, &meta_request_test_results));
     aws_s3_meta_request_test_results_clean_up(&meta_request_test_results);
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -4753,8 +4724,7 @@ static int s_s3_put_object_mrap_helper(struct aws_allocator *allocator, bool mul
     ASSERT_SUCCESS(aws_s3_tester_send_meta_request_with_options(&tester, &options, &meta_request_test_results));
     aws_s3_meta_request_test_results_clean_up(&meta_request_test_results);
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
@@ -5062,8 +5032,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_put_pause_resume_helper(
         aws_s3_meta_request_test_results_clean_up(&results);
     }
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/tests/s3_retry_tests.c b/tests/s3_retry_tests.c
index 085af6dfa..238bab130 100644
--- a/tests/s3_retry_tests.c
+++ b/tests/s3_retry_tests.c
@@ -198,8 +198,7 @@ static int s_test_s3_meta_request_fail_prepare_request(struct aws_allocator *all
 
     aws_s3_tester_wait_for_counters(&tester);
 
-    aws_s3_client_release(client);
-    client = NULL;
+    client = aws_s3_client_release(client);
 
     aws_s3_tester_clean_up(&tester);
 
diff --git a/tests/s3_tester.c b/tests/s3_tester.c
index 5cfea80d0..d2383a099 100644
--- a/tests/s3_tester.c
+++ b/tests/s3_tester.c
@@ -1413,8 +1413,7 @@ int aws_s3_tester_send_meta_request_with_options(
 
     if (meta_request != NULL) {
         out_results->part_size = meta_request->part_size;
-        aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_request);
-        meta_request = NULL;
+        meta_request = aws_s3_meta_request_release(meta_request);
 
         if (!options->dont_wait_for_shutdown) {
             aws_s3_tester_wait_for_meta_request_shutdown(tester);