diff --git a/src/network/networkd-macvlan.c b/src/network/networkd-macvlan.c
index 922714453..7c234264a 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-macvlan.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-macvlan.c
@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@ int netdev_create_macvlan(NetDev *netdev, Link *link, sd_rtnl_message_handler_t
                 return r;
         }
 
+        link_ref(link);
+
         log_debug_netdev(netdev, "creating netdev");
 
         netdev->state = NETDEV_STATE_CREATING;
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-tunnel.c b/src/network/networkd-tunnel.c
index 734148779..5a244f61b 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-tunnel.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-tunnel.c
@@ -529,6 +529,8 @@ int netdev_create_tunnel(NetDev *netdev, Link *link, sd_rtnl_message_handler_t c
                 return r;
         }
 
+        link_ref(link);
+
         log_debug_netdev(netdev, "Creating tunnel netdev: %s",
                          netdev_kind_to_string(netdev->kind));
 
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-vlan.c b/src/network/networkd-vlan.c
index 1d812fdca..8727b9f10 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-vlan.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-vlan.c
@@ -139,6 +139,8 @@ int netdev_create_vlan(NetDev *netdev, Link *link, sd_rtnl_message_handler_t cal
                 return r;
         }
 
+        link_ref(link);
+
         log_debug_netdev(netdev, "creating netdev");
 
         netdev->state = NETDEV_STATE_CREATING;
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-vxlan.c b/src/network/networkd-vxlan.c
index 8832024ef..160459450 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-vxlan.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-vxlan.c
@@ -154,6 +154,8 @@ int netdev_create_vxlan(NetDev *netdev, Link *link, sd_rtnl_message_handler_t ca
                 return r;
         }
 
+        link_ref(link);
+
         log_debug_netdev(netdev, "Creating vxlan netdev: %s",
                          netdev_kind_to_string(netdev->kind));