diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardDelegate.java b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardDelegate.java
index 4807dc59b..9d0d111d7 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardDelegate.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/BoardDelegate.java
@@ -2204,6 +2204,7 @@ public class BoardDelegate extends DelegateBase
     private Handler makeJNIHandler()
     {
         Handler handler = new Handler() {
+                @Override
                 public void handleMessage( final Message msg ) {
                     switch( msg.what ) {
                     case JNIThread.DIALOG:
@@ -2231,6 +2232,7 @@ public class BoardDelegate extends DelegateBase
                             runOnUiThread( new Runnable() {
                                     @Override
                                     public void run() {
+                                        Assert.assertTrue( m_jniGamePtr.isRetained() );
                                         boolean hasPending = 0 < XwJNI.
                                             comms_countPendingPackets( m_jniGamePtr );
                                         mGameOverAlert = GameOverAlert
diff --git a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/XwJNI.java b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/XwJNI.java
index d896c0f05..b68ad87e7 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/XwJNI.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/app/src/main/java/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/XwJNI.java
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ public class XwJNI {
 
         public long getRowid() { return m_rowid; }
 
+        public boolean isRetained() { return 0 < m_refCount; }
+
         // Force (via an assert in finalize() below) that this is called. It's
         // better if jni stuff isn't being done on the finalizer thread
         public synchronized void release()