diff --git a/generator/templates/dawn/wire/client/ApiProcs.cpp b/generator/templates/dawn/wire/client/ApiProcs.cpp
index a637efbf48..ef46293def 100644
--- a/generator/templates/dawn/wire/client/ApiProcs.cpp
+++ b/generator/templates/dawn/wire/client/ApiProcs.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ namespace dawn::wire::client {
 
                     //* For object creation, store the object ID the client will use for the result.
                     {% if method.return_type.category == "object" %}
-                        auto* returnObject = self->client->{{method.return_type.name.CamelCase()}}Allocator().New(self->client);
+                        auto* returnObject = self->GetClient()->{{method.return_type.name.CamelCase()}}Allocator().New(self->GetClient());
                         cmd.result = returnObject->GetWireHandle();
                     {% endif %}
 
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ namespace dawn::wire::client {
                     {% endfor %}
 
                     //* Allocate space to send the command and copy the value args over.
-                    self->client->SerializeCommand(cmd);
+                    self->GetClient()->SerializeCommand(cmd);
 
                     {% if method.return_type.category == "object" %}
                         return ToAPI(returnObject);
@@ -86,9 +86,8 @@ namespace dawn::wire::client {
         //* When an object's refcount reaches 0, notify the server side of it and delete it.
         void Client{{as_MethodSuffix(type.name, Name("release"))}}({{cType}} cObj) {
             {{Type}}* obj = reinterpret_cast<{{Type}}*>(cObj);
-            obj->refcount --;
 
-            if (obj->refcount > 0) {
+            if (!obj->Release()) {
                 return;
             }
 
@@ -96,13 +95,13 @@ namespace dawn::wire::client {
             cmd.objectType = ObjectType::{{type.name.CamelCase()}};
             cmd.objectId = obj->GetWireId();
 
-            obj->client->SerializeCommand(cmd);
-            obj->client->{{type.name.CamelCase()}}Allocator().Free(obj);
+            Client* client = obj->GetClient();
+            client->SerializeCommand(cmd);
+            client->{{type.name.CamelCase()}}Allocator().Free(obj);
         }
 
         void Client{{as_MethodSuffix(type.name, Name("reference"))}}({{cType}} cObj) {
-            {{Type}}* obj = reinterpret_cast<{{Type}}*>(cObj);
-            obj->refcount ++;
+            reinterpret_cast<{{Type}}*>(cObj)->Reference();
         }
     {% endfor %}
 
diff --git a/src/dawn/wire/client/Adapter.cpp b/src/dawn/wire/client/Adapter.cpp
index 0aa81633ce..ceab7b07e3 100644
--- a/src/dawn/wire/client/Adapter.cpp
+++ b/src/dawn/wire/client/Adapter.cpp
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ void Adapter::GetProperties(WGPUAdapterProperties* properties) const {
 void Adapter::RequestDevice(const WGPUDeviceDescriptor* descriptor,
                             WGPURequestDeviceCallback callback,
                             void* userdata) {
+    Client* client = GetClient();
     if (client->IsDisconnected()) {
         callback(WGPURequestDeviceStatus_Error, nullptr, "GPU connection lost", userdata);
         return;
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@ bool Adapter::OnRequestDeviceCallback(uint64_t requestSerial,
         return false;
     }
 
+    Client* client = GetClient();
     Device* device = client->DeviceAllocator().GetObject(request.deviceObjectId);
 
     // If the return status is a failure we should give a null device to the callback and
diff --git a/src/dawn/wire/client/Buffer.cpp b/src/dawn/wire/client/Buffer.cpp
index df93a94f74..b66e49b113 100644
--- a/src/dawn/wire/client/Buffer.cpp
+++ b/src/dawn/wire/client/Buffer.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ namespace dawn::wire::client {
 
 // static
 WGPUBuffer Buffer::Create(Device* device, const WGPUBufferDescriptor* descriptor) {
-    Client* wireClient = device->client;
+    Client* wireClient = device->GetClient();
 
     bool mappable =
         (descriptor->usage & (WGPUBufferUsage_MapRead | WGPUBufferUsage_MapWrite)) != 0 ||
@@ -125,7 +125,9 @@ WGPUBuffer Buffer::Create(Device* device, const WGPUBufferDescriptor* descriptor
 
 // static
 WGPUBuffer Buffer::CreateError(Device* device, const WGPUBufferDescriptor* descriptor) {
-    Buffer* buffer = device->client->BufferAllocator().New(device->client);
+    Client* client = device->GetClient();
+
+    Buffer* buffer = client->BufferAllocator().New(client);
     buffer->mDevice = device;
     buffer->mDeviceIsAlive = device->GetAliveWeakPtr();
     buffer->mSize = descriptor->size;
@@ -134,7 +136,7 @@ WGPUBuffer Buffer::CreateError(Device* device, const WGPUBufferDescriptor* descr
     DeviceCreateErrorBufferCmd cmd;
     cmd.self = ToAPI(device);
     cmd.result = buffer->GetWireHandle();
-    device->client->SerializeCommand(cmd);
+    client->SerializeCommand(cmd);
 
     return ToAPI(buffer);
 }
@@ -161,6 +163,7 @@ void Buffer::MapAsync(WGPUMapModeFlags mode,
                       size_t size,
                       WGPUBufferMapCallback callback,
                       void* userdata) {
+    Client* client = GetClient();
     if (client->IsDisconnected()) {
         return callback(WGPUBufferMapAsyncStatus_DeviceLost, userdata);
     }
@@ -288,6 +291,7 @@ void Buffer::Unmap() {
     //   - Server -> Client: Result of MapRequest1
     //   - Unmap locally on the client
     //   - Server -> Client: Result of MapRequest2
+    Client* client = GetClient();
 
     // mWriteHandle can still be nullptr if buffer has been destroyed before unmap
     if ((mMapState == MapState::MappedForWrite || mMapState == MapState::MappedAtCreation) &&
@@ -350,6 +354,8 @@ void Buffer::Unmap() {
 }
 
 void Buffer::Destroy() {
+    Client* client = GetClient();
+
     // Remove the current mapping and destroy Read/WriteHandles.
     FreeMappedData();
 
diff --git a/src/dawn/wire/client/Device.cpp b/src/dawn/wire/client/Device.cpp
index 4140bc19f0..c09cb3b670 100644
--- a/src/dawn/wire/client/Device.cpp
+++ b/src/dawn/wire/client/Device.cpp
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ void Device::SetDeviceLostCallback(WGPUDeviceLostCallback callback, void* userda
 
 bool Device::PopErrorScope(WGPUErrorCallback callback, void* userdata) {
     // TODO(crbug.com/dawn/1324) Replace bool return with void when users are updated.
+    Client* client = GetClient();
     if (client->IsDisconnected()) {
         callback(WGPUErrorType_DeviceLost, "GPU device disconnected", userdata);
         return true;
@@ -192,7 +193,7 @@ void Device::InjectError(WGPUErrorType type, const char* message) {
     cmd.self = ToAPI(this);
     cmd.type = type;
     cmd.message = message;
-    client->SerializeCommand(cmd);
+    GetClient()->SerializeCommand(cmd);
 }
 
 WGPUBuffer Device::CreateBuffer(const WGPUBufferDescriptor* descriptor) {
@@ -219,6 +220,7 @@ WGPUQueue Device::GetQueue() {
     // on construction.
     if (mQueue == nullptr) {
         // Get the primary queue for this device.
+        Client* client = GetClient();
         mQueue = client->QueueAllocator().New(client);
 
         DeviceGetQueueCmd cmd;
@@ -228,13 +230,14 @@ WGPUQueue Device::GetQueue() {
         client->SerializeCommand(cmd);
     }
 
-    mQueue->refcount++;
+    mQueue->Reference();
     return ToAPI(mQueue);
 }
 
 void Device::CreateComputePipelineAsync(WGPUComputePipelineDescriptor const* descriptor,
                                         WGPUCreateComputePipelineAsyncCallback callback,
                                         void* userdata) {
+    Client* client = GetClient();
     if (client->IsDisconnected()) {
         return callback(WGPUCreatePipelineAsyncStatus_DeviceLost, nullptr,
                         "GPU device disconnected", userdata);
@@ -266,6 +269,7 @@ bool Device::OnCreateComputePipelineAsyncCallback(uint64_t requestSerial,
         return false;
     }
 
+    Client* client = GetClient();
     auto* pipelineAllocation =
         client->ComputePipelineAllocator().GetObject(request.pipelineObjectID);
 
@@ -286,6 +290,7 @@ bool Device::OnCreateComputePipelineAsyncCallback(uint64_t requestSerial,
 void Device::CreateRenderPipelineAsync(WGPURenderPipelineDescriptor const* descriptor,
                                        WGPUCreateRenderPipelineAsyncCallback callback,
                                        void* userdata) {
+    Client* client = GetClient();
     if (client->IsDisconnected()) {
         return callback(WGPUCreatePipelineAsyncStatus_DeviceLost, nullptr,
                         "GPU device disconnected", userdata);
@@ -317,6 +322,7 @@ bool Device::OnCreateRenderPipelineAsyncCallback(uint64_t requestSerial,
         return false;
     }
 
+    Client* client = GetClient();
     auto* pipelineAllocation =
         client->RenderPipelineAllocator().GetObject(request.pipelineObjectID);
 
diff --git a/src/dawn/wire/client/Instance.cpp b/src/dawn/wire/client/Instance.cpp
index a2c70daca1..9812f2ef89 100644
--- a/src/dawn/wire/client/Instance.cpp
+++ b/src/dawn/wire/client/Instance.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ void Instance::CancelCallbacksForDisconnect() {
 void Instance::RequestAdapter(const WGPURequestAdapterOptions* options,
                               WGPURequestAdapterCallback callback,
                               void* userdata) {
+    Client* client = GetClient();
     if (client->IsDisconnected()) {
         callback(WGPURequestAdapterStatus_Error, nullptr, "GPU connection lost", userdata);
         return;
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ bool Instance::OnRequestAdapterCallback(uint64_t requestSerial,
         return false;
     }
 
+    Client* client = GetClient();
     Adapter* adapter = client->AdapterAllocator().GetObject(request.adapterObjectId);
 
     // If the return status is a failure we should give a null adapter to the callback and
diff --git a/src/dawn/wire/client/ObjectBase.cpp b/src/dawn/wire/client/ObjectBase.cpp
index 1930b40fe6..953a443b55 100644
--- a/src/dawn/wire/client/ObjectBase.cpp
+++ b/src/dawn/wire/client/ObjectBase.cpp
@@ -14,10 +14,12 @@
 
 #include "dawn/wire/client/ObjectBase.h"
 
+#include "dawn/common/Assert.h"
+
 namespace dawn::wire::client {
 
 ObjectBase::ObjectBase(const ObjectBaseParams& params)
-    : client(params.client), refcount(1), mHandle(params.handle) {}
+    : mClient(params.client), mHandle(params.handle), mRefcount(1) {}
 
 ObjectBase::~ObjectBase() {
     RemoveFromList();
@@ -35,4 +37,18 @@ ObjectGeneration ObjectBase::GetWireGeneration() const {
     return mHandle.generation;
 }
 
+Client* ObjectBase::GetClient() const {
+    return mClient;
+}
+
+void ObjectBase::Reference() {
+    mRefcount++;
+}
+
+bool ObjectBase::Release() {
+    ASSERT(mRefcount != 0);
+    mRefcount--;
+    return mRefcount == 0;
+}
+
 }  // namespace dawn::wire::client
diff --git a/src/dawn/wire/client/ObjectBase.h b/src/dawn/wire/client/ObjectBase.h
index f91149adba..cd6042da25 100644
--- a/src/dawn/wire/client/ObjectBase.h
+++ b/src/dawn/wire/client/ObjectBase.h
@@ -44,13 +44,17 @@ class ObjectBase : public LinkNode<ObjectBase> {
     const ObjectHandle& GetWireHandle() const;
     ObjectId GetWireId() const;
     ObjectGeneration GetWireGeneration() const;
+    Client* GetClient() const;
 
-    // TODO(dawn:1451): Make these members private.
-    Client* const client;
-    uint32_t refcount;
+    void Reference();
+    // Returns true if it was the last reference, indicating that the caller must destroy the
+    // object.
+    [[nodiscard]] bool Release();
 
   private:
+    Client* const mClient;
     const ObjectHandle mHandle;
+    uint32_t mRefcount;
 };
 
 }  // namespace dawn::wire::client
diff --git a/src/dawn/wire/client/QuerySet.cpp b/src/dawn/wire/client/QuerySet.cpp
index 82d6079a7c..903c65ddca 100644
--- a/src/dawn/wire/client/QuerySet.cpp
+++ b/src/dawn/wire/client/QuerySet.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ namespace dawn::wire::client {
 
 // static
 WGPUQuerySet QuerySet::Create(Device* device, const WGPUQuerySetDescriptor* descriptor) {
-    Client* wireClient = device->client;
+    Client* wireClient = device->GetClient();
     QuerySet* querySet = wireClient->QuerySetAllocator().New(wireClient);
 
     // Copy over descriptor data for reflection.
diff --git a/src/dawn/wire/client/Queue.cpp b/src/dawn/wire/client/Queue.cpp
index 83c1281d80..bc5a4bbd28 100644
--- a/src/dawn/wire/client/Queue.cpp
+++ b/src/dawn/wire/client/Queue.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ bool Queue::OnWorkDoneCallback(uint64_t requestSerial, WGPUQueueWorkDoneStatus s
 void Queue::OnSubmittedWorkDone(uint64_t signalValue,
                                 WGPUQueueWorkDoneCallback callback,
                                 void* userdata) {
+    Client* client = GetClient();
     if (client->IsDisconnected()) {
         callback(WGPUQueueWorkDoneStatus_DeviceLost, userdata);
         return;
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ void Queue::WriteBuffer(WGPUBuffer cBuffer, uint64_t bufferOffset, const void* d
     cmd.data = static_cast<const uint8_t*>(data);
     cmd.size = size;
 
-    client->SerializeCommand(cmd);
+    GetClient()->SerializeCommand(cmd);
 }
 
 void Queue::WriteTexture(const WGPUImageCopyTexture* destination,
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ void Queue::WriteTexture(const WGPUImageCopyTexture* destination,
     cmd.dataLayout = dataLayout;
     cmd.writeSize = writeSize;
 
-    client->SerializeCommand(cmd);
+    GetClient()->SerializeCommand(cmd);
 }
 
 void Queue::CancelCallbacksForDisconnect() {
diff --git a/src/dawn/wire/client/ShaderModule.cpp b/src/dawn/wire/client/ShaderModule.cpp
index 43f0c8d174..bcf1d6fbfa 100644
--- a/src/dawn/wire/client/ShaderModule.cpp
+++ b/src/dawn/wire/client/ShaderModule.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ ShaderModule::~ShaderModule() {
 }
 
 void ShaderModule::GetCompilationInfo(WGPUCompilationInfoCallback callback, void* userdata) {
+    Client* client = GetClient();
     if (client->IsDisconnected()) {
         callback(WGPUCompilationInfoRequestStatus_DeviceLost, nullptr, userdata);
         return;
diff --git a/src/dawn/wire/client/Texture.cpp b/src/dawn/wire/client/Texture.cpp
index 60a123e8c3..99ea97fb7f 100644
--- a/src/dawn/wire/client/Texture.cpp
+++ b/src/dawn/wire/client/Texture.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ namespace dawn::wire::client {
 
 // static
 WGPUTexture Texture::Create(Device* device, const WGPUTextureDescriptor* descriptor) {
-    Client* wireClient = device->client;
+    Client* wireClient = device->GetClient();
     Texture* texture = wireClient->TextureAllocator().New(wireClient);
 
     // Copy over descriptor data for reflection.