diff --git a/src/util/virhash.h b/src/util/virhash.h
index c2a0681317..426d835cfc 100644
--- a/src/util/virhash.h
+++ b/src/util/virhash.h
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ typedef int (*virHashSearcher) (const void *payload, const char *name,
 /*
  * Constructor and destructor.
  */
-GHashTable *virHashNew(virHashDataFree dataFree);
+GHashTable *virHashNew(virHashDataFree dataFree) G_GNUC_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT;
 virHashAtomic *virHashAtomicNew(virHashDataFree dataFree);
 void virHashFree(GHashTable *table);
 ssize_t virHashSize(GHashTable *table);