diff --git a/qmp.c b/qmp.c
index 621f6ae6d95beaf13fb13f46be2185266d36dca3..b3ba9ef9c4ac24e11166f2c3947b99bca5f58cca 100644
--- a/qmp.c
+++ b/qmp.c
@@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ void qmp_add_client(const char *protocol, const char *fdname,
 void qmp_object_add(const char *type, const char *id,
                     bool has_props, QObject *props, Error **errp)
 {
-    const QDict *pdict = NULL;
+    QDict *pdict;
     Visitor *v;
     Object *obj;
 
@@ -670,14 +670,18 @@ void qmp_object_add(const char *type, const char *id,
             error_setg(errp, QERR_INVALID_PARAMETER_TYPE, "props", "dict");
             return;
         }
+        QINCREF(pdict);
+    } else {
+        pdict = qdict_new();
     }
 
-    v = qmp_input_visitor_new(props, true);
+    v = qmp_input_visitor_new(QOBJECT(pdict), true);
     obj = user_creatable_add_type(type, id, pdict, v, errp);
     visit_free(v);
     if (obj) {
         object_unref(obj);
     }
+    QDECREF(pdict);
 }
 
 void qmp_object_del(const char *id, Error **errp)