diff --git a/daemon/remote.c b/daemon/remote.c
index 37572dedd565dd0213cb9cd72dd9519aa819e749..c0a5618688a659bc81b1a91c58118c7b4002c7b0 100644
--- a/daemon/remote.c
+++ b/daemon/remote.c
@@ -638,8 +638,11 @@ void remoteClientFreeFunc(void *data)
 
     /* Deregister event delivery callback */
     if (priv->conn) {
+        virIdentityPtr sysident = virIdentityGetSystem();
         int i;
 
+        virIdentitySetCurrent(sysident);
+
         for (i = 0; i < VIR_DOMAIN_EVENT_ID_LAST; i++) {
             if (priv->domainEventCallbackID[i] != -1) {
                 VIR_DEBUG("Deregistering to relay remote events %d", i);
@@ -650,6 +653,9 @@ void remoteClientFreeFunc(void *data)
         }
 
         virConnectClose(priv->conn);
+
+        virIdentitySetCurrent(NULL);
+        virObjectUnref(sysident);
     }
 
     VIR_FREE(priv);