diff --git a/qom/object.c b/qom/object.c
index b8c732063b..05a8567041 100644
--- a/qom/object.c
+++ b/qom/object.c
@@ -646,16 +646,20 @@ Object *object_new_with_propv(const char *typename,
         goto error;
     }
 
-    object_property_add_child(parent, id, obj, &local_err);
-    if (local_err) {
-        goto error;
+    if (id != NULL) {
+        object_property_add_child(parent, id, obj, &local_err);
+        if (local_err) {
+            goto error;
+        }
     }
 
     uc = (UserCreatable *)object_dynamic_cast(obj, TYPE_USER_CREATABLE);
     if (uc) {
         user_creatable_complete(uc, &local_err);
         if (local_err) {
-            object_unparent(obj);
+            if (id != NULL) {
+                object_unparent(obj);
+            }
             goto error;
         }
     }
diff --git a/qom/object_interfaces.c b/qom/object_interfaces.c
index db85d1eb75..cb5809934a 100644
--- a/qom/object_interfaces.c
+++ b/qom/object_interfaces.c
@@ -75,16 +75,20 @@ Object *user_creatable_add_type(const char *type, const char *id,
         goto out;
     }
 
-    object_property_add_child(object_get_objects_root(),
-                              id, obj, &local_err);
-    if (local_err) {
-        goto out;
+    if (id != NULL) {
+        object_property_add_child(object_get_objects_root(),
+                                  id, obj, &local_err);
+        if (local_err) {
+            goto out;
+        }
     }
 
     user_creatable_complete(USER_CREATABLE(obj), &local_err);
     if (local_err) {
-        object_property_del(object_get_objects_root(),
-                            id, &error_abort);
+        if (id != NULL) {
+            object_property_del(object_get_objects_root(),
+                                id, &error_abort);
+        }
         goto out;
     }
 out: