diff --git a/src/devices/ovs/nm-ovsdb.c b/src/devices/ovs/nm-ovsdb.c
index 6c5d8be21e..5654dd6d3a 100644
--- a/src/devices/ovs/nm-ovsdb.c
+++ b/src/devices/ovs/nm-ovsdb.c
@@ -1020,8 +1020,12 @@ ovsdb_got_update (NMOvsdb *self, json_t *msg)
 	}
 
 	if (ovs) {
+		const char *s;
+
 		iter = json_object_iter (ovs);
-		priv->db_uuid = iter ? g_strdup (json_object_iter_key (iter)) : NULL;
+		s = json_object_iter_key (iter);
+		if (s)
+			nm_utils_strdup_reset (&priv->db_uuid, s);
 	}
 
 	/* Interfaces */