diff --git a/src/network/networkd-network.c b/src/network/networkd-network.c
index 927125e15a..97a5f1b0d1 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-network.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-network.c
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ int network_load_one(Manager *manager, OrderedHashmap **networks, const char *fi
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
-        network = NULL;
+        TAKE_PTR(network);
         return 0;
 }