diff --git a/gio/gmenuexporter.c b/gio/gmenuexporter.c
index 909780cb2..1d4db1352 100644
--- a/gio/gmenuexporter.c
+++ b/gio/gmenuexporter.c
@@ -707,11 +707,9 @@ g_menu_exporter_create_group (GMenuExporter *exporter)
 }
 
 static void
-g_menu_exporter_free (gpointer user_data)
+g_menu_exporter_free (GMenuExporter *exporter)
 {
-  GMenuExporter *exporter = user_data;
-
-  g_menu_exporter_menu_free (exporter->root);
+  g_clear_pointer (&exporter->root, g_menu_exporter_menu_free);
   g_clear_pointer (&exporter->peer_remote, g_menu_exporter_remote_free);
   g_hash_table_unref (exporter->remotes);
   g_hash_table_unref (exporter->groups);
@@ -794,21 +792,16 @@ g_dbus_connection_export_menu_model (GDBusConnection  *connection,
   guint id;
 
   exporter = g_slice_new0 (GMenuExporter);
-
-  id = g_dbus_connection_register_object (connection, object_path, org_gtk_Menus_get_interface (),
-                                          &vtable, exporter, g_menu_exporter_free, error);
-
-  if (id == 0)
-    {
-      g_slice_free (GMenuExporter, exporter);
-      return 0;
-    }
-
   exporter->connection = g_object_ref (connection);
   exporter->object_path = g_strdup (object_path);
   exporter->groups = g_hash_table_new (NULL, NULL);
   exporter->remotes = g_hash_table_new_full (g_str_hash, g_str_equal, g_free, g_menu_exporter_remote_free);
-  exporter->root = g_menu_exporter_group_add_menu (g_menu_exporter_create_group (exporter), menu);
+
+  id = g_dbus_connection_register_object (connection, object_path, org_gtk_Menus_get_interface (),
+                                          &vtable, exporter, (GDestroyNotify) g_menu_exporter_free, error);
+
+  if (id != 0)
+    exporter->root = g_menu_exporter_group_add_menu (g_menu_exporter_create_group (exporter), menu);
 
   return id;
 }
diff --git a/gio/tests/gmenumodel.c b/gio/tests/gmenumodel.c
index d75f36a29..22d1b4d61 100644
--- a/gio/tests/gmenumodel.c
+++ b/gio/tests/gmenumodel.c
@@ -1159,6 +1159,42 @@ test_dbus_peer_subscriptions (void)
 #endif
 }
 
+static void
+test_dbus_export_error_handling (void)
+{
+  GRand *rand = NULL;
+  RandomMenu *menu = NULL;
+  GDBusConnection *bus;
+  GError *local_error = NULL;
+  guint id1, id2;
+
+  g_test_summary ("Test that error handling of menu model export failure works");
+  g_test_bug ("https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/glib/-/issues/3366");
+
+  bus = g_bus_get_sync (G_BUS_TYPE_SESSION, NULL, NULL);
+
+  rand = g_rand_new_with_seed (g_test_rand_int ());
+  menu = random_menu_new (rand, 2);
+
+  id1 = g_dbus_connection_export_menu_model (bus, "/", G_MENU_MODEL (menu), &local_error);
+  g_assert_no_error (local_error);
+  g_assert_cmpuint (id1, !=, 0);
+
+  /* Trigger a failure by trying to export on a path which is already in use */
+  id2 = g_dbus_connection_export_menu_model (bus, "/", G_MENU_MODEL (menu), &local_error);
+  g_assert_error (local_error, G_IO_ERROR, G_IO_ERROR_EXISTS);
+  g_assert_cmpuint (id2, ==, 0);
+  g_clear_error (&local_error);
+
+  g_dbus_connection_unexport_menu_model (bus, id1);
+
+  while (g_main_context_iteration (NULL, FALSE));
+
+  g_clear_object (&menu);
+  g_rand_free (rand);
+  g_clear_object (&bus);
+}
+
 static gpointer
 do_modify (gpointer data)
 {
@@ -1658,6 +1694,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
   g_test_add_func ("/gmenu/dbus/threaded", test_dbus_threaded);
   g_test_add_func ("/gmenu/dbus/peer/roundtrip", test_dbus_peer_roundtrip);
   g_test_add_func ("/gmenu/dbus/peer/subscriptions", test_dbus_peer_subscriptions);
+  g_test_add_func ("/gmenu/dbus/export/error-handling", test_dbus_export_error_handling);
   g_test_add_func ("/gmenu/attributes", test_attributes);
   g_test_add_func ("/gmenu/attributes/iterate", test_attribute_iter);
   g_test_add_func ("/gmenu/links", test_links);