diff --git a/src/network/bridge_driver.c b/src/network/bridge_driver.c
index 1a5d08a00d20fdd70f2c795d0e979c895608b1a4..dae1def8de8e6a699c2ac7fe78ff6a90d64f318d 100644
--- a/src/network/bridge_driver.c
+++ b/src/network/bridge_driver.c
@@ -5592,20 +5592,20 @@ networkPortCreateXML(virNetworkPtr net,
         rc = networkNotifyPort(obj, portdef);
     else
         rc = networkAllocatePort(obj, portdef);
-    if (rc < 0) {
+    if (rc < 0)
+        goto cleanup;
+
+    if (virNetworkObjAddPort(obj, portdef, driver->stateDir) < 0) {
         virErrorPtr saved;
+
         saved = virSaveLastError();
         ignore_value(networkReleasePort(obj, portdef));
+        virNetworkPortDefFree(portdef);
         virSetError(saved);
         virFreeError(saved);
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
-    if (virNetworkObjAddPort(obj, portdef, driver->stateDir) < 0) {
-        virNetworkPortDefFree(portdef);
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
     ret = virGetNetworkPort(net, portdef->uuid);
  cleanup:
     virNetworkObjEndAPI(&obj);