diff --git a/src/network/networkd-route.c b/src/network/networkd-route.c
index d23d74d5c8..a9afdabb32 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-route.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-route.c
@@ -227,11 +227,7 @@ static int route_new_static(Network *network, const char *filename, unsigned sec
         route->network = network;
         route->section = TAKE_PTR(n);
 
-        r = hashmap_ensure_allocated(&network->routes_by_section, &network_config_hash_ops);
-        if (r < 0)
-                return r;
-
-        r = hashmap_put(network->routes_by_section, route->section, route);
+        r = hashmap_ensure_put(&network->routes_by_section, &network_config_hash_ops, route->section, route);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;