diff --git a/src/network/networkd-address-label.c b/src/network/networkd-address-label.c
index f933a1da94..7f756cfe40 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-address-label.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-address-label.c
@@ -55,11 +55,7 @@ static int address_label_new_static(Network *network, const char *filename, unsi
                 .section = TAKE_PTR(n),
         };
 
-        r = hashmap_ensure_allocated(&network->address_labels_by_section, &network_config_hash_ops);
-        if (r < 0)
-                return r;
-
-        r = hashmap_put(network->address_labels_by_section, label->section, label);
+        r = hashmap_ensure_put(&network->address_labels_by_section, &network_config_hash_ops, label->section, label);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;