In short it means that some code that has access to the C interface of the perl interpreter has a refcounting bug in it (this is one of the most common bugs in perl extensions).

Usually that means you're using some kind of buggy XS extension/module, but sometimes it's a real bug in perl itself.

"What should it profit a man, if he should win a flame war, yet lose his cool?"

In reply to Re: Attempt to free unrefed scalar by Joost
in thread Attempt to free unrefed scalar by redleg7

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