diff --git a/src/network/networkd-address.c b/src/network/networkd-address.c
index 5a3388c3c4..daf959ec5f 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-address.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-address.c
@@ -1149,6 +1149,9 @@ int request_process_address(Request *req) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
+        /* To prevent a double decrement on failure in after_configure(). */
+        req->message_counter = NULL;
+
         if (req->after_configure) {
                 r = req->after_configure(req, ret);
                 if (r < 0)
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-neighbor.c b/src/network/networkd-neighbor.c
index 2afe71c5f8..88620579ac 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-neighbor.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-neighbor.c
@@ -479,6 +479,9 @@ int request_process_neighbor(Request *req) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
+        /* To prevent a double decrement on failure in after_configure(). */
+        req->message_counter = NULL;
+
         if (req->after_configure) {
                 r = req->after_configure(req, ret);
                 if (r < 0)
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-nexthop.c b/src/network/networkd-nexthop.c
index 5c6c58356c..013bddf30c 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-nexthop.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-nexthop.c
@@ -751,6 +751,9 @@ int request_process_nexthop(Request *req) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
+        /* To prevent a double decrement on failure in after_configure(). */
+        req->message_counter = NULL;
+
         if (req->after_configure) {
                 r = req->after_configure(req, ret);
                 if (r < 0)
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-route.c b/src/network/networkd-route.c
index 8707e5c089..e6c1d71265 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-route.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-route.c
@@ -1622,6 +1622,9 @@ int request_process_route(Request *req) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
+        /* To prevent a double decrement on failure in after_configure(). */
+        req->message_counter = NULL;
+
         if (req->after_configure) {
                 assert(n_routes > 0);
 
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-routing-policy-rule.c b/src/network/networkd-routing-policy-rule.c
index 9b9880d1da..20512d2477 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-routing-policy-rule.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-routing-policy-rule.c
@@ -814,6 +814,9 @@ int request_process_routing_policy_rule(Request *req) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
+        /* To prevent a double decrement on failure in after_configure(). */
+        req->message_counter = NULL;
+
         if (req->after_configure) {
                 r = req->after_configure(req, ret);
                 if (r < 0)