diff --git a/cache/src/main/kotlin/org/openrs2/cache/Group.kt b/cache/src/main/kotlin/org/openrs2/cache/Group.kt
index ff1cb44f..75169216 100644
--- a/cache/src/main/kotlin/org/openrs2/cache/Group.kt
+++ b/cache/src/main/kotlin/org/openrs2/cache/Group.kt
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ public object Group {
 
         val first = files.values.first()
         if (files.size == 1) {
-            return first
+            return first.retain()
         }
 
         first.alloc().buffer().use { output ->