diff --git a/reactos/lib/rtl/atom.c b/reactos/lib/rtl/atom.c
index f073de9fb46..4dd69c9727d 100644
--- a/reactos/lib/rtl/atom.c
+++ b/reactos/lib/rtl/atom.c
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ RtlAddAtomToAtomTable(IN PRTL_ATOM_TABLE AtomTable,
              if (Entry != NULL)
                {
                   Entry->HashLink = NULL;
-                  Entry->ReferenceCount = 0;
+                  Entry->ReferenceCount = 1;
                   Entry->Flags = 0x0;
 
                   Entry->NameLength = AtomNameLen;