diff --git a/include/qemu/timer.h b/include/qemu/timer.h
index bdecc5b41f..61296ea980 100644
--- a/include/qemu/timer.h
+++ b/include/qemu/timer.h
@@ -609,17 +609,6 @@ static inline QEMUTimer *timer_new_ms(QEMUClockType type, QEMUTimerCB *cb,
  */
 void timer_deinit(QEMUTimer *ts);
 
-/**
- * timer_free:
- * @ts: the timer
- *
- * Free a timer (it must not be on the active list)
- */
-static inline void timer_free(QEMUTimer *ts)
-{
-    g_free(ts);
-}
-
 /**
  * timer_del:
  * @ts: the timer
@@ -631,6 +620,19 @@ static inline void timer_free(QEMUTimer *ts)
  */
 void timer_del(QEMUTimer *ts);
 
+/**
+ * timer_free:
+ * @ts: the timer
+ *
+ * Free a timer. This will call timer_del() for you to remove
+ * the timer from the active list if it was still active.
+ */
+static inline void timer_free(QEMUTimer *ts)
+{
+    timer_del(ts);
+    g_free(ts);
+}
+
 /**
  * timer_mod_ns:
  * @ts: the timer