diff --git a/src/network/networkd-manager.c b/src/network/networkd-manager.c
index 9925f3c25a..631ab85562 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-manager.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-manager.c
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ Manager* manager_free(Manager *m) {
         HASHMAP_FOREACH(link, m->links_by_index)
                 (void) link_stop_engines(link, true);
 
-        hashmap_free(m->sysctl_shadow);
+        m->sysctl_shadow = hashmap_free(m->sysctl_shadow);
 
         m->request_queue = ordered_set_free(m->request_queue);
         m->remove_request_queue = ordered_set_free(m->remove_request_queue);