diff --git a/hw/s390x/s390-virtio-bus.c b/hw/s390x/s390-virtio-bus.c
index 6d0a7f36e7..ca682bb7e6 100644
--- a/hw/s390x/s390-virtio-bus.c
+++ b/hw/s390x/s390-virtio-bus.c
@@ -312,6 +312,7 @@ static void s390_virtio_rng_instance_init(Object *obj)
     object_initialize(&dev->vdev, sizeof(dev->vdev), TYPE_VIRTIO_RNG);
     object_property_add_child(obj, "virtio-backend", OBJECT(&dev->vdev), NULL);
     qdev_alias_all_properties(DEVICE(&dev->vdev), obj);
+    object_unref(OBJECT(&dev->vdev));
     object_property_add_link(obj, "rng", TYPE_RNG_BACKEND,
                              (Object **)&dev->vdev.conf.rng,
                              qdev_prop_allow_set_link_before_realize,
diff --git a/hw/s390x/virtio-ccw.c b/hw/s390x/virtio-ccw.c
index da2e427716..de0764de48 100644
--- a/hw/s390x/virtio-ccw.c
+++ b/hw/s390x/virtio-ccw.c
@@ -1543,6 +1543,7 @@ static void virtio_ccw_rng_instance_init(Object *obj)
     object_initialize(&dev->vdev, sizeof(dev->vdev), TYPE_VIRTIO_RNG);
     object_property_add_child(obj, "virtio-backend", OBJECT(&dev->vdev), NULL);
     qdev_alias_all_properties(DEVICE(&dev->vdev), obj);
+    object_unref(OBJECT(&dev->vdev));
     object_property_add_link(obj, "rng", TYPE_RNG_BACKEND,
                              (Object **)&dev->vdev.conf.rng,
                              qdev_prop_allow_set_link_before_realize,
diff --git a/hw/virtio/virtio-pci.c b/hw/virtio/virtio-pci.c
index 2b3a941876..40652a7481 100644
--- a/hw/virtio/virtio-pci.c
+++ b/hw/virtio/virtio-pci.c
@@ -1525,6 +1525,7 @@ static void virtio_rng_initfn(Object *obj)
     object_initialize(&dev->vdev, sizeof(dev->vdev), TYPE_VIRTIO_RNG);
     object_property_add_child(obj, "virtio-backend", OBJECT(&dev->vdev), NULL);
     qdev_alias_all_properties(DEVICE(&dev->vdev), obj);
+    object_unref(OBJECT(&dev->vdev));
     object_property_add_link(obj, "rng", TYPE_RNG_BACKEND,
                              (Object **)&dev->vdev.conf.rng,
                              qdev_prop_allow_set_link_before_realize,