diff --git a/src/pipewire/client.c b/src/pipewire/client.c
index bceaf9f19..2d39427f3 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/client.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/client.c
@@ -405,11 +405,11 @@ const struct pw_client_info *pw_client_get_info(struct pw_client *client)
 int pw_client_update_properties(struct pw_client *client, const struct spa_dict *dict)
 {
 	struct pw_resource *resource;
-	uint32_t i, changed = 0;
+	int changed;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < dict->n_items; i++)
-		changed += pw_properties_set(client->properties,
-				  dict->items[i].key, dict->items[i].value);
+	changed = pw_properties_update(client->properties, dict);
+
+	pw_log_debug("client %p: updated %d properties", client, changed);
 
 	if (!changed)
 		return 0;
diff --git a/src/pipewire/core.c b/src/pipewire/core.c
index bd31f1dcf..1c52345e6 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/core.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/core.c
@@ -589,10 +589,11 @@ const struct pw_properties *pw_core_get_properties(struct pw_core *core)
 int pw_core_update_properties(struct pw_core *core, const struct spa_dict *dict)
 {
 	struct pw_resource *resource;
-	uint32_t i, changed = 0;
+	int changed;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < dict->n_items; i++)
-		changed += pw_properties_set(core->properties, dict->items[i].key, dict->items[i].value);
+	changed = pw_properties_update(core->properties, dict);
+
+	pw_log_debug("core %p: updated %d properties", core, changed);
 
 	if (!changed)
 		return 0;
diff --git a/src/pipewire/device.c b/src/pipewire/device.c
index 35facd58f..ae3e67f13 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/device.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/device.c
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ static void device_add(void *data, uint32_t id,
 	struct pw_node *node;
 	struct node_data *nd;
 	struct pw_properties *props;
-	int i, res;
+	int res;
 	void *iface;
 
 	if (type != SPA_TYPE_INTERFACE_Node) {
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@ static void device_add(void *data, uint32_t id,
 	support = pw_core_get_support(device->core, &n_support);
 
 	props = pw_properties_copy(device->properties);
-	for (i = 0; info && i < info->n_items; i++)
-		pw_properties_set(props, info->items[i].key, info->items[i].value);
+	if (info)
+		pw_properties_update(props, info);
 
 	node = pw_node_new(device->core,
 			   device->info.name,
@@ -313,10 +313,9 @@ const struct pw_properties *pw_device_get_properties(struct pw_device *device)
 int pw_device_update_properties(struct pw_device *device, const struct spa_dict *dict)
 {
 	struct pw_resource *resource;
-	uint32_t i, changed = 0;
+	int changed;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < dict->n_items; i++)
-		changed += pw_properties_set(device->properties, dict->items[i].key, dict->items[i].value);
+	changed = pw_properties_update(device->properties, dict);
 
 	pw_log_debug("device %p: updated %d properties", device, changed);
 
diff --git a/src/pipewire/module.c b/src/pipewire/module.c
index 9ee31a32b..814490278 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/module.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/module.c
@@ -335,10 +335,11 @@ const struct pw_properties *pw_module_get_properties(struct pw_module *module)
 int pw_module_update_properties(struct pw_module *module, const struct spa_dict *dict)
 {
 	struct pw_resource *resource;
-	uint32_t i, changed = 0;
+	int changed;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < dict->n_items; i++)
-		changed += pw_properties_set(module->properties, dict->items[i].key, dict->items[i].value);
+	changed = pw_properties_update(module->properties, dict);
+
+	pw_log_debug("module %p: updated %d properties", module, changed);
 
 	if (!changed)
 		return 0;
diff --git a/src/pipewire/node.c b/src/pipewire/node.c
index 3fa23e097..cd07a1f81 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/node.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/node.c
@@ -745,10 +745,9 @@ const struct pw_properties *pw_node_get_properties(struct pw_node *node)
 int pw_node_update_properties(struct pw_node *node, const struct spa_dict *dict)
 {
 	struct pw_resource *resource;
-	uint32_t i, changed = 0;
+	int changed;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < dict->n_items; i++)
-		changed += pw_properties_set(node->properties, dict->items[i].key, dict->items[i].value);
+	changed = pw_properties_update(node->properties, dict);
 
 	pw_log_debug("node %p: updated %d properties", node, changed);
 
@@ -968,8 +967,7 @@ void pw_node_destroy(struct pw_node *node)
 	pw_map_clear(&node->input_port_map);
 	pw_map_clear(&node->output_port_map);
 
-	if (node->properties)
-		pw_properties_free(node->properties);
+	pw_properties_free(node->properties);
 
 	clear_info(node);
 
diff --git a/src/pipewire/port.c b/src/pipewire/port.c
index a25e965ff..7f7e3cc6f 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/port.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/port.c
@@ -285,10 +285,9 @@ const struct pw_properties *pw_port_get_properties(struct pw_port *port)
 int pw_port_update_properties(struct pw_port *port, const struct spa_dict *dict)
 {
 	struct pw_resource *resource;
-	uint32_t i, changed = 0;
+	int changed;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < dict->n_items; i++)
-		changed += pw_properties_set(port->properties, dict->items[i].key, dict->items[i].value);
+	changed = pw_properties_update(port->properties, dict);
 
 	pw_log_debug("port %p: updated %d properties", port, changed);
 
@@ -688,8 +687,7 @@ void pw_port_destroy(struct pw_port *port)
 
 	pw_map_clear(&port->mix_port_map);
 
-	if (port->properties)
-		pw_properties_free(port->properties);
+	pw_properties_free(port->properties);
 
 	free(port);
 }
diff --git a/src/pipewire/properties.c b/src/pipewire/properties.c
index 19a24a377..eb579cf05 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/properties.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/properties.c
@@ -196,42 +196,25 @@ struct pw_properties *pw_properties_copy(const struct pw_properties *properties)
 	return copy;
 }
 
-/** Merge properties into one
+/** Update properties
  *
- * \param oldprops properties to merge into
- * \param newprops properties to merge
- * \return a newly allocated \ref pw_properties
+ * \param props properties to update
+ * \param dict new properties
+ * \return the number of changed properties
  *
- * A new \ref pw_properties is allocated and the properties of
- * \a oldprops and \a newprops are copied into it in that order.
+ * The properties in \a props are updated with \a dict.
  *
  * \memberof pw_properties
  */
-struct pw_properties *pw_properties_merge(const struct pw_properties *oldprops,
-					  const struct pw_properties *newprops)
+int pw_properties_update(struct pw_properties *props,
+		         const struct spa_dict *dict)
 {
-	struct pw_properties *res = NULL;
+	int i, changed = 0;
 
-	if (oldprops == NULL) {
-		if (newprops == NULL)
-			res = NULL;
-		else
-			res = pw_properties_copy(newprops);
-	} else if (newprops == NULL) {
-		res = pw_properties_copy(oldprops);
-	} else {
-		const char *key;
-		void *state = NULL;
+	for (i = 0; i < dict->n_items; i++)
+		changed += pw_properties_set(props, dict->items[i].key, dict->items[i].value);
 
-		res = pw_properties_copy(oldprops);
-		if (res == NULL)
-			return NULL;
-
-		while ((key = pw_properties_iterate(newprops, &state))) {
-			pw_properties_set(res, key, pw_properties_get(newprops, key));
-		}
-	}
-	return res;
+	return changed;
 }
 
 /** Free a properties object
diff --git a/src/pipewire/properties.h b/src/pipewire/properties.h
index 45728cbad..a8f2a8ee1 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/properties.h
+++ b/src/pipewire/properties.h
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@ pw_properties_new_string(const char *args);
 struct pw_properties *
 pw_properties_copy(const struct pw_properties *properties);
 
-struct pw_properties *
-pw_properties_merge(const struct pw_properties *oldprops,
-		    const struct pw_properties *newprops);
+int
+pw_properties_update(struct pw_properties *oldprops,
+		     const struct spa_dict *dict);
 
 void
 pw_properties_free(struct pw_properties *properties);
diff --git a/src/pipewire/remote.c b/src/pipewire/remote.c
index 055dedf37..b383cfc1a 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/remote.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/remote.c
@@ -335,10 +335,11 @@ const struct pw_properties *pw_remote_get_properties(struct pw_remote *remote)
 
 int pw_remote_update_properties(struct pw_remote *remote, const struct spa_dict *dict)
 {
-	uint32_t i, changed = 0;
+	int changed;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < dict->n_items; i++)
-		changed += pw_properties_set(remote->properties, dict->items[i].key, dict->items[i].value);
+	changed = pw_properties_update(remote->properties, dict);
+
+	pw_log_debug("remote %p: updated %d properties", remote, changed);
 
 	if (!changed)
 		return 0;
diff --git a/src/pipewire/stream.c b/src/pipewire/stream.c
index ecbc76f2a..ccdb84202 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/stream.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/stream.c
@@ -1018,10 +1018,9 @@ const struct pw_properties *pw_stream_get_properties(struct pw_stream *stream)
 int pw_stream_update_properties(struct pw_stream *stream, const struct spa_dict *dict)
 {
 	struct stream *impl = SPA_CONTAINER_OF(stream, struct stream, this);
-	int i, changed = 0, res = 0;
+	int changed, res = 0;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < dict->n_items; i++)
-		changed += pw_properties_set(stream->properties, dict->items[i].key, dict->items[i].value);
+	changed = pw_properties_update(stream->properties, dict);
 
 	if (!changed)
 		return 0;