diff --git a/src/network/leaseshelper.c b/src/network/leaseshelper.c
index 69081c3581eea2cc68db45601a57f0d33c8ff1d3..bf1842b87fb6ac61a9efa4c557100f0f157799bb 100644
--- a/src/network/leaseshelper.c
+++ b/src/network/leaseshelper.c
@@ -331,6 +331,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
                            _("failed to create json"));
             goto cleanup;
         }
+        lease_new = NULL;
     }
 
     if (!(leases_str = virJSONValueToString(leases_array_new, true))) {