diff --git a/gobject/glib-genmarshal.in b/gobject/glib-genmarshal.in
index dc4c7eacc..f17e05532 100755
--- a/gobject/glib-genmarshal.in
+++ b/gobject/glib-genmarshal.in
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ IN_ARGS = {
         'signal': 'VARIANT',
         'ctype': 'gpointer',
         'getter': 'g_marshal_value_peek_variant',
-        'box': ['g_variant_ref', 'g_variant_unref'],
+        'box': ['g_variant_ref_sink', 'g_variant_unref'],
         'static-check': True,
         'takes-type': False,
     },