diff --git a/src/conf/virnetworkobj.c b/src/conf/virnetworkobj.c
index 19305798cb..5abc295506 100644
--- a/src/conf/virnetworkobj.c
+++ b/src/conf/virnetworkobj.c
@@ -255,6 +255,7 @@ void
 virNetworkObjSetFwRemoval(virNetworkObj *obj,
                           virFirewall *fwRemoval)
 {
+    virFirewallFree(obj->fwRemoval);
     obj->fwRemoval = fwRemoval;
     /* give it a name so it's identifiable in the XML */
     if (fwRemoval)