diff --git a/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c b/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
index 46af05d439180f16acb18c688d62b1449a9840a5..2e6788af095220b09ef9553f63659582114811ee 100644
--- a/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
+++ b/src/lxc/lxc_driver.c
@@ -1247,6 +1247,7 @@ lxcDomainCreateXMLWithFiles(virConnectPtr conn,
                                    VIR_DOMAIN_OBJ_LIST_ADD_CHECK_LIVE,
                                    NULL)))
         goto cleanup;
+    virObjectRef(vm);
     def = NULL;
 
     if (virLXCDomainObjBeginJob(driver, vm, LXC_JOB_MODIFY) < 0) {