diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-json/sd-json.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-json/sd-json.c
index 03557d3ac6..6245d471b7 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-json/sd-json.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-json/sd-json.c
@@ -1003,7 +1003,7 @@ _public_ uint64_t sd_json_variant_unsigned(sd_json_variant *v) {
         if (!json_variant_is_regular(v))
                 goto mismatch;
         if (v->is_reference)
-                return sd_json_variant_integer(v->reference);
+                return sd_json_variant_unsigned(v->reference);
 
         switch (v->type) {