diff --git a/src/SMESH_I/SMESH_Mesh_i.cxx b/src/SMESH_I/SMESH_Mesh_i.cxx
index 1108d14aa..5673c9bd4 100644
--- a/src/SMESH_I/SMESH_Mesh_i.cxx
+++ b/src/SMESH_I/SMESH_Mesh_i.cxx
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ SMESH::SMESH_subMesh_ptr SMESH_Mesh_i::GetSubMesh(GEOM::GEOM_Object_ptr aSubShap
   catch(SALOME_Exception & S_ex) {
     THROW_SALOME_CORBA_EXCEPTION(S_ex.what(), SALOME::BAD_PARAM);
   }
-  return subMesh;
+  return subMesh._retn();
 }
 
 //=============================================================================