diff --git a/migration/tls.c b/migration/tls.c
index 5171afc6c4..7a02ec8656 100644
--- a/migration/tls.c
+++ b/migration/tls.c
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ migration_tls_get_creds(MigrationState *s,
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    object_ref(OBJECT(ret));
     return ret;
 }