diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.c b/src/devices/nm-device.c
index e79bc5410a..d39fd68014 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -9486,7 +9486,7 @@ check_and_reapply_connection (NMDevice *self,
 
 	if (diffs) {
 		NMConnection *connection_clean = connection;
-		gs_free NMConnection *connection_clean_free = NULL;
+		gs_unref_object NMConnection *connection_clean_free = NULL;
 
 		{
 			NMSettingConnection *s_con_a, *s_con_n;