diff --git a/chardev/char.c b/chardev/char.c
index 140d6d9d36..48f321b3e1 100644
--- a/chardev/char.c
+++ b/chardev/char.c
@@ -975,7 +975,9 @@ static Chardev *chardev_new(const char *id, const char *typename,
 
     qemu_char_open(chr, backend, &be_opened, &local_err);
     if (local_err) {
-        goto end;
+        error_propagate(errp, local_err);
+        object_unref(obj);
+        return NULL;
     }
 
     if (!chr->filename) {
@@ -985,22 +987,6 @@ static Chardev *chardev_new(const char *id, const char *typename,
         qemu_chr_be_event(chr, CHR_EVENT_OPENED);
     }
 
-    if (id) {
-        object_property_try_add_child(get_chardevs_root(), id, obj,
-                                      &local_err);
-        if (local_err) {
-            goto end;
-        }
-        object_unref(obj);
-    }
-
-end:
-    if (local_err) {
-        error_propagate(errp, local_err);
-        object_unref(obj);
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     return chr;
 }
 
@@ -1009,6 +995,7 @@ Chardev *qemu_chardev_new(const char *id, const char *typename,
                           GMainContext *gcontext,
                           Error **errp)
 {
+    Chardev *chr;
     g_autofree char *genid = NULL;
 
     if (!id) {
@@ -1016,7 +1003,19 @@ Chardev *qemu_chardev_new(const char *id, const char *typename,
         id = genid;
     }
 
-    return chardev_new(id, typename, backend, gcontext, errp);
+    chr = chardev_new(id, typename, backend, gcontext, errp);
+    if (!chr) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    if (!object_property_try_add_child(get_chardevs_root(), id, OBJECT(chr),
+                                       errp)) {
+        object_unref(OBJECT(chr));
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    object_unref(OBJECT(chr));
+
+    return chr;
 }
 
 ChardevReturn *qmp_chardev_add(const char *id, ChardevBackend *backend,
@@ -1037,6 +1036,13 @@ ChardevReturn *qmp_chardev_add(const char *id, ChardevBackend *backend,
         return NULL;
     }
 
+    if (!object_property_try_add_child(get_chardevs_root(), id, OBJECT(chr),
+                                       errp)) {
+        object_unref(OBJECT(chr));
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    object_unref(OBJECT(chr));
+
     ret = g_new0(ChardevReturn, 1);
     if (CHARDEV_IS_PTY(chr)) {
         ret->pty = g_strdup(chr->filename + 4);