diff --git a/memory.c b/memory.c
index 5e5f32540e..4eb138a429 100644
--- a/memory.c
+++ b/memory.c
@@ -859,11 +859,6 @@ static void memory_region_destructor_ram(MemoryRegion *mr)
     qemu_ram_free(mr->ram_addr);
 }
 
-static void memory_region_destructor_alias(MemoryRegion *mr)
-{
-    memory_region_unref(mr->alias);
-}
-
 static void memory_region_destructor_ram_from_ptr(MemoryRegion *mr)
 {
     qemu_ram_free_from_ptr(mr->ram_addr);
@@ -1272,8 +1267,6 @@ void memory_region_init_alias(MemoryRegion *mr,
                               uint64_t size)
 {
     memory_region_init(mr, owner, name, size);
-    memory_region_ref(orig);
-    mr->destructor = memory_region_destructor_alias;
     mr->alias = orig;
     mr->alias_offset = offset;
 }