diff --git a/src/conf/virnetworkobj.c b/src/conf/virnetworkobj.c
index b58af237530a8c554debc8ffd4762d7da5c2ad0c..89662577bc123a490d1a63751035b8a75221dfb2 100644
--- a/src/conf/virnetworkobj.c
+++ b/src/conf/virnetworkobj.c
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@ virNetworkObjSetMacMap(virNetworkObjPtr obj,
 void
 virNetworkObjUnrefMacMap(virNetworkObjPtr obj)
 {
-    if (!virObjectUnref(obj->macmap))
-        obj->macmap = NULL;
+    virObjectUnref(obj->macmap);
+    obj->macmap = NULL;
 }