diff --git a/qom/object.c b/qom/object.c
index 1065355233..e73d70a993 100644
--- a/qom/object.c
+++ b/qom/object.c
@@ -1196,11 +1196,11 @@ object_property_try_add(Object *obj, const char *name, const char *type,
 
     if (name_len >= 3 && !memcmp(name + name_len - 3, "[*]", 4)) {
         int i;
-        ObjectProperty *ret;
+        ObjectProperty *ret = NULL;
         char *name_no_array = g_strdup(name);
 
         name_no_array[name_len - 3] = '\0';
-        for (i = 0; ; ++i) {
+        for (i = 0; i < INT16_MAX; ++i) {
             char *full_name = g_strdup_printf("%s[%d]", name_no_array, i);
 
             ret = object_property_try_add(obj, full_name, type, get, set,
@@ -1211,6 +1211,7 @@ object_property_try_add(Object *obj, const char *name, const char *type,
             }
         }
         g_free(name_no_array);
+        assert(ret);
         return ret;
     }