diff --git a/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobj.c b/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobj.c
index 23978d4207..68afb9c434 100644
--- a/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobj.c
+++ b/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobj.c
@@ -88,6 +88,16 @@ virNWFilterBindingObjSetDef(virNWFilterBindingObjPtr obj,
 }
 
 
+virNWFilterBindingDefPtr
+virNWFilterBindingObjStealDef(virNWFilterBindingObjPtr obj)
+{
+    virNWFilterBindingDefPtr def;
+
+    VIR_STEAL_PTR(def, obj->def);
+    return def;
+}
+
+
 bool
 virNWFilterBindingObjGetRemoving(virNWFilterBindingObjPtr obj)
 {
diff --git a/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobj.h b/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobj.h
index 8e5fbee35f..b26bb3c8ec 100644
--- a/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobj.h
+++ b/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobj.h
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ void
 virNWFilterBindingObjSetDef(virNWFilterBindingObjPtr obj,
                             virNWFilterBindingDefPtr def);
 
+virNWFilterBindingDefPtr
+virNWFilterBindingObjStealDef(virNWFilterBindingObjPtr obj);
+
 bool
 virNWFilterBindingObjGetRemoving(virNWFilterBindingObjPtr obj);
 
diff --git a/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobjlist.c b/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobjlist.c
index 06ccbf53af..4ee2c1b194 100644
--- a/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobjlist.c
+++ b/src/conf/virnwfilterbindingobjlist.c
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ virNWFilterBindingObjListAddLocked(virNWFilterBindingObjListPtr bindings,
                                    virNWFilterBindingDefPtr def)
 {
     virNWFilterBindingObjPtr binding;
+    bool stealDef = false;
 
     /* See if a binding with matching portdev already exists */
     if ((binding = virNWFilterBindingObjListFindByPortDevLocked(
@@ -181,6 +182,7 @@ virNWFilterBindingObjListAddLocked(virNWFilterBindingObjListPtr bindings,
         goto error;
 
     virNWFilterBindingObjSetDef(binding, def);
+    stealDef = true;
 
     if (virNWFilterBindingObjListAddObjLocked(bindings, binding) < 0)
         goto error;
@@ -188,6 +190,8 @@ virNWFilterBindingObjListAddLocked(virNWFilterBindingObjListPtr bindings,
     return binding;
 
  error:
+    if (stealDef)
+        virNWFilterBindingObjStealDef(binding);
     virNWFilterBindingObjEndAPI(&binding);
     return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index 26f10bd47f..a33f9e61b1 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -1101,6 +1101,7 @@ virNWFilterBindingObjParseFile;
 virNWFilterBindingObjSave;
 virNWFilterBindingObjSetDef;
 virNWFilterBindingObjSetRemoving;
+virNWFilterBindingObjStealDef;
 
 
 # conf/virnwfilterbindingobjlist.h