diff --git a/fpdfsdk/fpdf_structtree.cpp b/fpdfsdk/fpdf_structtree.cpp
index b0029cc..76a30be 100644
--- a/fpdfsdk/fpdf_structtree.cpp
+++ b/fpdfsdk/fpdf_structtree.cpp
@@ -163,9 +163,10 @@
     const CPDF_Array* array = attr_obj->AsArray();
     if (index < 0 || static_cast<size_t>(index) >= array->size())
       return nullptr;
+
     // TODO(tsepez): should embedder take a reference here?
-    return FPDFStructElementAttrFromCPDFDictionary(
-        array->GetDictAt(index).Get());
+    // Unretained reference in public API. NOLINTNEXTLINE
+    return FPDFStructElementAttrFromCPDFDictionary(array->GetDictAt(index));
   }
   return nullptr;
 }