diff --git a/src/shell-util.c b/src/shell-util.c
index 742aa829a..a965c7148 100644
--- a/src/shell-util.c
+++ b/src/shell-util.c
@@ -619,6 +619,7 @@ shell_util_systemd_call (const char           *command,
                          gpointer              user_data)
 {
   g_autoptr (GTask) task = g_task_new (NULL, cancellable, callback, user_data);
+  g_autoptr (GVariant) params_owned = g_variant_ref_sink (g_steal_pointer (&params));
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SYSTEMD
   g_autoptr (GDBusConnection) connection = NULL;
@@ -695,7 +696,7 @@ shell_util_systemd_call (const char           *command,
                           "/org/freedesktop/systemd1",
                           "org.freedesktop.systemd1.Manager",
                           command,
-                          params,
+                          params_owned,
                           G_VARIANT_TYPE ("(o)"),
                           G_DBUS_CALL_FLAGS_NONE,
                           -1, cancellable,