diff --git a/src/network/networkd-dhcp-server-static-lease.c b/src/network/networkd-dhcp-server-static-lease.c
index 2f04232c49..2814be8987 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-dhcp-server-static-lease.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-dhcp-server-static-lease.c
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ int config_parse_dhcp_static_lease_hwaddr(
         if (isempty(rvalue)) {
                 lease->client_id = mfree(lease->client_id);
                 lease->client_id_size = 0;
+                TAKE_PTR(lease);
                 return 0;
         }