diff --git a/src/conf/network_conf.c b/src/conf/network_conf.c
index d916427b99..88e1492f57 100644
--- a/src/conf/network_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/network_conf.c
@@ -245,6 +245,11 @@ virNetworkObjPtr virNetworkAssignDef(virNetworkObjListPtr nets,
         return network;
     }
 
+    if (VIR_REALLOC_N(nets->objs, nets->count + 1) < 0) {
+        virReportOOMError();
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     if (VIR_ALLOC(network) < 0) {
         virReportOOMError();
         return NULL;
@@ -258,12 +263,6 @@ virNetworkObjPtr virNetworkAssignDef(virNetworkObjListPtr nets,
     virNetworkObjLock(network);
     network->def = def;
 
-    if (VIR_REALLOC_N(nets->objs, nets->count + 1) < 0) {
-        virReportOOMError();
-        VIR_FREE(network);
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     nets->objs[nets->count] = network;
     nets->count++;