diff --git a/hw/core/bus.c b/hw/core/bus.c
index 4651f244864c309018ee4d1179e59fca6985e471..ad0c9df335fb3597c5dc4f9c0bed8bb67f4148d5 100644
--- a/hw/core/bus.c
+++ b/hw/core/bus.c
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ static void qbus_realize(BusState *bus, DeviceState *parent, const char *name)
         QLIST_INSERT_HEAD(&bus->parent->child_bus, bus, sibling);
         bus->parent->num_child_bus++;
         object_property_add_child(OBJECT(bus->parent), bus->name, OBJECT(bus), NULL);
-        object_unref(OBJECT(bus));
     } else if (bus != sysbus_get_default()) {
         /* TODO: once all bus devices are qdevified,
            only reset handler for main_system_bus should be registered here. */