diff --git a/share/qtcreator/gdbmacros/dumper.py b/share/qtcreator/gdbmacros/dumper.py
index a7ddeafcc9aba3836cdee2be6eab02d5162b9f07..4980c0d5cd717ea1db8554cd560ac962ccce3428 100644
--- a/share/qtcreator/gdbmacros/dumper.py
+++ b/share/qtcreator/gdbmacros/dumper.py
@@ -151,6 +151,11 @@ def check(exp):
     if not exp:
         raise RuntimeError("Check failed")
 
+def checkRef(ref):
+    count = ref["_q_value"]
+    check(count > 0)
+    check(count < 1000000) # assume there aren't a million references to any object
+
 #def couldBePointer(p, align):
 #    type = gdb.lookup_type("unsigned int")
 #    ptr = gdb.Value(p).cast(type)
@@ -235,7 +240,7 @@ def encodeByteArray(value):
     size = d_ptr['size']
     alloc = d_ptr['alloc']
     check(0 <= size and size <= alloc and alloc <= 100*1000*1000)
-    check(d_ptr["ref"]["_q_value"] > 0)
+    checkRef(d_ptr["ref"])
     if size > 0:
         checkAccess(data, 4)
         checkAccess(data + size) == 0
@@ -253,7 +258,7 @@ def encodeString(value):
     if size > 0:
         checkAccess(data, 4)
         checkAccess(data + size * 2) == 0
-    check(d_ptr["ref"]["_q_value"] > 0)
+    checkRef(d_ptr["ref"])
     p = gdb.Value(d_ptr["data"])
     s = ""
     for i in xrange(size):
diff --git a/share/qtcreator/gdbmacros/gdbmacros.py b/share/qtcreator/gdbmacros/gdbmacros.py
index 0120da9299a61d1c96ae39a9e1a2eb7d786e1a81..c8ce22f51cb54169641b582c0d18987f82a2f7ab 100644
--- a/share/qtcreator/gdbmacros/gdbmacros.py
+++ b/share/qtcreator/gdbmacros/gdbmacros.py
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ def qdump__QHash(d, item):
     hashNodeType = e_ptr.type
 
     check(0 <= size and size <= 100 * 1000 * 1000)
-    check(d_ptr["ref"]["_q_value"] > 0)
+    checkRef(d_ptr["ref"])
 
     d.putItemCount(size)
     d.putNumChild(size)
@@ -324,8 +324,7 @@ def qdump__QList(d, item):
     #if n > 0:
     #    checkAccess(&list.front())
     #    checkAccess(&list.back())
-
-    check(d_ptr["ref"]["_q_value"] > 0)
+    checkRef(d_ptr["ref"])
 
     # Additional checks on pointer arrays.
     innerType = item.value.type.template_argument(0)
@@ -371,7 +370,7 @@ def qdump__QImage(d, item):
     if isNull(d_ptr):
         d.putValue("(null)")
     else:
-        check(d_ptr["ref"]["_q_value"] > 0)
+        checkRef(d_ptr["ref"])
         d.putValue("(%dx%d)" % (d_ptr["width"], d_ptr["height"]))
     d.putNumChild(0)
     #d.putNumChild(1)
@@ -395,7 +394,7 @@ def qdump__QLinkedList(d, item):
     e_ptr = item.value["e"]
     n = d_ptr["size"]
     check(0 <= n and n <= 100*1000*1000)
-    check(d_ptr["ref"]["_q_value"] > 0)
+    checkRef(d_ptr["ref"])
     d.putItemCount(n)
     d.putNumChild(n)
     if d.isExpanded(item):
@@ -450,7 +449,7 @@ def qdump__QMap(d, item):
     e_ptr = item.value["e"].dereference()
     n = d_ptr["size"]
     check(0 <= n and n <= 100*1000*1000)
-    check(d_ptr["ref"]["_q_value"] > 0)
+    checkRef(d_ptr["ref"])
 
     d.putItemCount(n)
     d.putNumChild(n)
@@ -561,7 +560,7 @@ def qdump__QObject(d, item):
     #d.putValue("")
     d.putStringValue(objectName)
     #QSignalMapper::staticMetaObject
-    #check(d_ptr["ref"]["_q_value"] > 0)
+    #checkRef(d_ptr["ref"])
     d.putNumChild(4)
     if d.isExpanded(item):
         d.beginChildren()
@@ -1275,7 +1274,7 @@ def qdump__QPixmap(d, item):
     if isNull(d_ptr):
         d.putValue("(null)")
     else:
-        check(d_ptr["ref"]["_q_value"] > 0)
+        checkRef(d_ptr["ref"])
         d.putValue("(%dx%d)" % (d_ptr["w"], d_ptr["h"]))
     d.putNumChild(0)
 
@@ -1379,7 +1378,7 @@ def qdump__QSet(d, item):
     hashNodeType = e_ptr.type
 
     check(0 <= size and size <= 100 * 1000 * 1000)
-    check(d_ptr["ref"]["_q_value"] > 0)
+    checkRef(d_ptr["ref"])
 
     d.putItemCount(size)
     d.putNumChild(size)
@@ -1440,7 +1439,7 @@ def qdump__QStringList(d, item):
     check(size <= 10 * 1000 * 1000)
     #    checkAccess(&list.front())
     #    checkAccess(&list.back())
-    check(d_ptr["ref"]["_q_value"] > 0)
+    checkRef(d_ptr["ref"])
     d.putItemCount(size)
     d.putNumChild(size)
     if d.isExpanded(item):
@@ -1619,7 +1618,7 @@ def qdump__QVector(d, item):
     size = d_ptr["size"]
 
     check(0 <= size and size <= alloc and alloc <= 1000 * 1000 * 1000)
-    check(d_ptr["ref"]["_q_value"] > 0)
+    checkRef(d_ptr["ref"])
 
     innerType = item.value.type.template_argument(0)
     d.putItemCount(size)