diff --git a/src/vbox/vbox_snapshot_conf.c b/src/vbox/vbox_snapshot_conf.c
index 5a0abd6d0e..db6c389a64 100644
--- a/src/vbox/vbox_snapshot_conf.c
+++ b/src/vbox/vbox_snapshot_conf.c
@@ -352,6 +352,7 @@ virVBoxSnapshotConfCreateHardDiskNode(virVBoxSnapshotConfHardDiskPtr hardDisk)
     if (result < 0) {
         xmlUnlinkNode(ret);
         xmlFreeNode(ret);
+        ret = NULL;
     }
     VIR_FREE(uuid);
     return ret;