diff --git a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/xds/xds_client.cc b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/xds/xds_client.cc
index ebadf5e75781a..39a06d242312a 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/xds/xds_client.cc
+++ b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/xds/xds_client.cc
@@ -385,8 +385,6 @@ XdsClient::ChannelState::ChannelState(RefCountedPtr<XdsClient> xds_client,
   channel_ = CreateXdsChannel(balancer_name, *new_args);
   grpc_channel_args_destroy(new_args);
   GPR_ASSERT(channel_ != nullptr);
-  // Ref held by connectivity watch callback.
-  Ref(DEBUG_LOCATION, "ChannelState+start_watch").release();
   StartConnectivityWatchLocked();
 }