diff --git a/gio/gnetworkmonitorbase.c b/gio/gnetworkmonitorbase.c
index be6ec7277..d503759c1 100644
--- a/gio/gnetworkmonitorbase.c
+++ b/gio/gnetworkmonitorbase.c
@@ -496,11 +496,9 @@ void
 g_network_monitor_base_add_network (GNetworkMonitorBase *monitor,
                                     GInetAddressMask    *network)
 {
-  if (!g_hash_table_add (monitor->priv->networks, network))
+  if (!g_hash_table_add (monitor->priv->networks, g_object_ref (network)))
     return;
 
-  g_object_ref (network);  /* for the element now stored in the hash table */
-
   if (g_inet_address_mask_get_length (network) == 0)
     {
       switch (g_inet_address_mask_get_family (network))