diff --git a/src/fu-main.c b/src/fu-main.c
index da630d143..fdbe2c709 100644
--- a/src/fu-main.c
+++ b/src/fu-main.c
@@ -125,8 +125,10 @@ fu_main_emit_property_changed (FuMainPrivate *priv,
 	GVariantBuilder invalidated_builder;
 
 	/* not yet connected */
-	if (priv->connection == NULL)
+	if (priv->connection == NULL) {
+		g_variant_unref (g_variant_ref_sink (property_value));
 		return;
+	}
 
 	/* build the dict */
 	g_variant_builder_init (&invalidated_builder, G_VARIANT_TYPE ("as"));