diff --git a/pitfall/pitfall/reference.rkt b/pitfall/pitfall/reference.rkt
index aef97e89..087e88cf 100644
--- a/pitfall/pitfall/reference.rkt
+++ b/pitfall/pitfall/reference.rkt
@@ -29,8 +29,10 @@
   (set! current-id val))
 
 (define (make-ref [payload (make-hasheq)])
+  (define new-ref (make-object PDFReference current-id payload))
+  (for-each (λ (listener-proc) (listener-proc new-ref)) ref-listeners)
   (begin0
-    (make-object PDFReference current-id payload)
+    new-ref
     (set! current-id (add1 current-id))))
 
 (define PDFReference
@@ -41,8 +43,6 @@
     (field [(@offset offset) #f]
            [@port (open-output-bytes)])
 
-    (for-each (λ (listener-proc) (listener-proc this)) ref-listeners)
-
     (define/public (write x)
       (write-bytes (to-bytes x) @port))