diff --git a/src/steamnetworkingsockets/clientlib/steamnetworkingsockets_snp.cpp b/src/steamnetworkingsockets/clientlib/steamnetworkingsockets_snp.cpp
index 1bc60b9..58d66c8 100644
--- a/src/steamnetworkingsockets/clientlib/steamnetworkingsockets_snp.cpp
+++ b/src/steamnetworkingsockets/clientlib/steamnetworkingsockets_snp.cpp
@@ -216,6 +216,10 @@ void SSNPSenderState::RemoveRefCountReliableSegment( uint16 hSeg )
 	if ( --info.m_nSentReliableSegRefCount <= 0 )
 	{
 		DbgAssert( info.m_nSentReliableSegRefCount == 0 );
+
+		// We should not be in the lane send queue
+		Assert( pMsg->m_linksSecondaryQueue.m_pQueue == nullptr );
+
 		pMsg->Unlink();
 		pMsg->Release();
 	}
@@ -357,7 +361,7 @@ int64 CSteamNetworkConnectionBase::SNP_SendMessage( CSteamNetworkingMessage *pSe
 			hdrEnd = SerializeVarInt( hdrEnd, cbData>>5U );
 		}
 		reliableInfo.m_cbHdr = hdrEnd - hdr;
-		reliableInfo.m_nSentReliableSegRefCount = 0;
+		reliableInfo.m_nSentReliableSegRefCount = 1; // Initialize reference count to 1.  
 
 		// Grow the total size of the message by the header
 		pSendMessage->m_cbSize += reliableInfo.m_cbHdr;
@@ -2514,6 +2518,7 @@ int CSteamNetworkConnectionBase::SNP_SerializePacketInternal( SNPPacketSerialize
 				// sure that we don't make an excessively large
 				// one and then have a hard time retrying it later.
 				int cbDesiredSegSize = pSendMsg->m_cbSize - sendLane.m_cbCurrentSendMessageSent;
+				Assert( cbDesiredSegSize > 0 );
 				if ( cbDesiredSegSize > m_cbMaxReliableMessageSegment )
 				{
 					cbDesiredSegSize = m_cbMaxReliableMessageSegment;
@@ -2635,6 +2640,15 @@ int CSteamNetworkConnectionBase::SNP_SerializePacketInternal( SNPPacketSerialize
 		if ( !k_bUnreliableOnly && pSendMsg->SNPSend_IsReliable() )
 		{
 
+			// We hold a reference while in the lane send queue.  But
+			// we've been removed, so decrement that reference count now.
+			// Note that this might drop our reference count to zero.
+			// But there should be at least one segment ready to be serialized
+			// which will hold a reference to us.  We just haven't added it yet.
+			CSteamNetworkingMessage::ReliableSendInfo_t &relInfo = pSendMsg->ReliableSendInfo();
+			Assert( relInfo.m_nSentReliableSegRefCount > 0 );
+			--relInfo.m_nSentReliableSegRefCount;
+			
 			// Go ahead and add us to the end of the list of unacked messages
 			pSeg->m_pMsg->LinkToQueueTail( &CSteamNetworkingMessage::m_links, &m_senderState.m_unackedReliableMessages );
 		}
diff --git a/src/steamnetworkingsockets/clientlib/steamnetworkingsockets_snp.h b/src/steamnetworkingsockets/clientlib/steamnetworkingsockets_snp.h
index 939cc8d..5b00f1e 100644
--- a/src/steamnetworkingsockets/clientlib/steamnetworkingsockets_snp.h
+++ b/src/steamnetworkingsockets/clientlib/steamnetworkingsockets_snp.h
@@ -128,10 +128,12 @@ public:
 	inline void SNPSend_SetReliableStreamPos( int64 x ) { Assert( m_nFlags & k_nSteamNetworkingSend_Reliable ); ReliableSendInfo().m_nStreamPos = x; }
 
 	// Working data for reliable messages.
-	// !KLUDGE! Reuse the identity field
 	struct ReliableSendInfo_t
 	{
 		int64 m_nStreamPos;
+
+		// Number of reliable segments that refer to this message.
+		// Also while we are in the queue waiting to be sent the queue holds a reference
 		int m_nSentReliableSegRefCount;
 		int m_cbHdr;
 		byte m_hdr[16];
@@ -139,6 +141,8 @@ public:
 	const ReliableSendInfo_t &ReliableSendInfo() const
 	{
 		DbgAssert( m_nFlags & k_nSteamNetworkingSend_Reliable );
+		// !KLUDGE! Reuse the identity field.  We don't actually put this in a union because
+		//          this is internal stuff that doesn't need to be exposed in the API
 		COMPILE_TIME_ASSERT( sizeof(m_identityPeer) >= sizeof(ReliableSendInfo_t) );
 		return *(ReliableSendInfo_t *)&m_identityPeer;
 	}
@@ -412,11 +416,7 @@ struct SSNPSenderState
 	SteamNetworkingMessageQueue m_messagesQueued;
 
 	/// List of reliable messages that have been fully placed on the wire at least once,
-	/// but we're hanging onto because of the potential need to retry.  (Note that if we get
-	/// packet loss, it's possible that we hang onto a message even after it's been fully
-	/// acked, because a prior message is still needed.  We always operate on this list
-	/// like a queue, rather than seeking into the middle of the list and removing messages
-	/// as soon as they are no longer needed.)
+	/// but we're hanging onto because of the potential need to retry.
 	SteamNetworkingMessageQueue m_unackedReliableMessages;
 
 	// Buffered data counters.  See SteamNetworkingQuickConnectionStatus for more info