diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr_cpu_core.c b/hw/ppc/spapr_cpu_core.c
index 1df1404ea5..ff7058ecc0 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr_cpu_core.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr_cpu_core.c
@@ -143,7 +143,8 @@ static void spapr_cpu_core_realize_child(Object *child, Error **errp)
     Object *obj;
 
     obj = object_new(spapr->icp_type);
-    object_property_add_child(OBJECT(cpu), "icp", obj, NULL);
+    object_property_add_child(OBJECT(cpu), "icp", obj, &error_abort);
+    object_unref(obj);
     object_property_add_const_link(obj, "xics", OBJECT(spapr), &error_abort);
     object_property_set_bool(obj, true, "realized", &local_err);
     if (local_err) {