diff --git a/src/dawn_native/Device.cpp b/src/dawn_native/Device.cpp
index 32c13f0d74..86434140fa 100644
--- a/src/dawn_native/Device.cpp
+++ b/src/dawn_native/Device.cpp
@@ -844,6 +844,7 @@ namespace dawn_native {
         std::unique_ptr<OwnedCompilationMessages> compilationMessages(
             std::make_unique<OwnedCompilationMessages>());
         if (ConsumedError(CreateShaderModule(descriptor, compilationMessages.get()), &result)) {
+            DAWN_ASSERT(result == nullptr);
             result = ShaderModuleBase::MakeError(this);
         }
         // Move compilation messages into ShaderModuleBase and emit tint errors and warnings
diff --git a/src/dawn_native/ShaderModule.cpp b/src/dawn_native/ShaderModule.cpp
index bdff7a7aec..4c23874d4a 100644
--- a/src/dawn_native/ShaderModule.cpp
+++ b/src/dawn_native/ShaderModule.cpp
@@ -1307,8 +1307,8 @@ namespace dawn_native {
     }
 
     // static
-    ShaderModuleBase* ShaderModuleBase::MakeError(DeviceBase* device) {
-        return new ShaderModuleBase(device, ObjectBase::kError);
+    Ref<ShaderModuleBase> ShaderModuleBase::MakeError(DeviceBase* device) {
+        return AcquireRef(new ShaderModuleBase(device, ObjectBase::kError));
     }
 
     bool ShaderModuleBase::HasEntryPoint(const std::string& entryPoint) const {
diff --git a/src/dawn_native/ShaderModule.h b/src/dawn_native/ShaderModule.h
index dd3d34a993..271704295e 100644
--- a/src/dawn_native/ShaderModule.h
+++ b/src/dawn_native/ShaderModule.h
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ namespace dawn_native {
         ShaderModuleBase(DeviceBase* device, const ShaderModuleDescriptor* descriptor);
         ~ShaderModuleBase() override;
 
-        static ShaderModuleBase* MakeError(DeviceBase* device);
+        static Ref<ShaderModuleBase> MakeError(DeviceBase* device);
 
         // Return true iff the program has an entrypoint called `entryPoint`.
         bool HasEntryPoint(const std::string& entryPoint) const;