diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.c b/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.c
index 6b97cb6884..c496f2b0f5 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetserverclient.c
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@ virNetServerClientCreateIdentity(virNetServerClientPtr client)
             goto cleanup;
         if (!(groupname = virGetGroupName(gid)))
             goto cleanup;
-        if (virAsprintf(&userid, "%d", (int)gid) < 0)
+        if (virAsprintf(&groupid, "%d", (int)gid) < 0)
             goto cleanup;
         if (virAsprintf(&processid, "%llu",
                         (unsigned long long)pid) < 0) {