diff --git a/Source/NSNotificationCenter.m b/Source/NSNotificationCenter.m
index 70129b2b6..3b6bf08f7 100644
--- a/Source/NSNotificationCenter.m
+++ b/Source/NSNotificationCenter.m
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ static NSNotificationCenter *default_center = nil;
 	       name: name 
 	     object: object];
 
-  return observer;
+  return AUTORELEASE(observer);
 }
 
 /**