diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-hsphfpd.c b/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-hsphfpd.c
index 1ef50449e..2fb42b229 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-hsphfpd.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-hsphfpd.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <spa/param/audio/raw.h>
 
 #include "defs.h"
+#include "dbus-helpers.h"
 
 static struct spa_log_topic log_topic = SPA_LOG_TOPIC(0, "spa.bluez5.hsphfpd");
 #undef SPA_LOG_TOPIC_DEFAULT
@@ -846,7 +847,7 @@ static void hsphfpd_audio_acquire_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *user_dat
 
 	backend->acquire_in_progress = false;
 
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&pending);
 	if (r == NULL)
 		return;
 
@@ -889,7 +890,6 @@ static void hsphfpd_audio_acquire_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *user_dat
 
 finish:
 	dbus_message_unref(r);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
 
 	if (ret < 0)
 		spa_bt_transport_set_state(transport, SPA_BT_TRANSPORT_STATE_ERROR);
@@ -1179,7 +1179,7 @@ static void hsphfpd_get_endpoints_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *user_dat
 	DBusMessage *r;
 	DBusMessageIter i, array_i;
 
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&pending);
 	if (r == NULL)
 		return;
 
@@ -1212,7 +1212,6 @@ static void hsphfpd_get_endpoints_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *user_dat
 
 finish:
 	dbus_message_unref(r);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
 }
 
 static int backend_hsphfpd_register(void *data)
diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-native.c b/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-native.c
index 2476f7dfc..74757c78e 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-native.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-native.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 #include <libusb.h>
 #endif
 
+#include "dbus-helpers.h"
 #include "modemmanager.h"
 #include "upower.h"
 
@@ -2413,7 +2414,7 @@ static void register_profile_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *user_data)
 	struct impl *backend = user_data;
 	DBusMessage *r;
 
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&pending);
 	if (r == NULL)
 		return;
 
@@ -2431,9 +2432,8 @@ static void register_profile_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *user_data)
 		goto finish;
 	}
 
-      finish:
+finish:
 	dbus_message_unref(r);
-        dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
 }
 
 static int register_profile(struct impl *backend, const char *profile, const char *uuid)
diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-ofono.c b/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-ofono.c
index c24887517..103ed685e 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-ofono.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/backend-ofono.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <spa/param/audio/raw.h>
 
 #include "defs.h"
+#include "dbus-helpers.h"
 
 #define INITIAL_INTERVAL_NSEC	(500 * SPA_NSEC_PER_MSEC)
 #define ACTION_INTERVAL_NSEC	(3000 * SPA_NSEC_PER_MSEC)
@@ -633,7 +634,7 @@ static void ofono_getcards_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *user_data)
 	DBusMessage *r;
 	DBusMessageIter i, array_i, struct_i, props_i;
 
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&pending);
 	if (r == NULL)
 		return;
 
@@ -665,7 +666,6 @@ static void ofono_getcards_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *user_data)
 
 finish:
 	dbus_message_unref(r);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
 }
 
 static int backend_ofono_register(void *data)
diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/bluez5-dbus.c b/spa/plugins/bluez5/bluez5-dbus.c
index a79c1b18b..e22c0d415 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/bluez5-dbus.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/bluez5-dbus.c
@@ -351,10 +351,8 @@ static void on_battery_provider_registered(DBusPendingCall *pending_call,
 	DBusMessage *reply;
 	struct spa_bt_device *device = data;
 
-	reply = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending_call);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending_call);
-
-	device->battery_pending_call = NULL;
+	spa_assert(device->battery_pending_call == pending_call);
+	reply = steal_reply_and_unref(&device->battery_pending_call);
 
 	if (dbus_message_get_type(reply) == DBUS_MESSAGE_TYPE_ERROR) {
 		spa_log_error(device->monitor->log, "Failed to register battery provider. Error: %s", dbus_message_get_error_name(reply));
@@ -3228,11 +3226,8 @@ static void transport_set_property_volume_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *
 	DBusError err = DBUS_ERROR_INIT;
 	DBusMessage *r;
 
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
-
 	spa_assert(transport->volume_call == pending);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
-	transport->volume_call = NULL;
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&transport->volume_call);
 
 	if (dbus_set_error_from_message(&err, r)) {
 		spa_log_info(monitor->log, "transport %p: set volume failed for transport %s: %s",
@@ -3382,11 +3377,8 @@ static void transport_acquire_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *user_data)
 	DBusMessage *r;
 	struct spa_bt_transport *t, *t_linked;
 
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
-
 	spa_assert(transport->acquire_call == pending);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
-	transport->acquire_call = NULL;
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&transport->acquire_call);
 
 	spa_bt_device_update_last_bluez_action_time(device);
 
@@ -3967,11 +3959,8 @@ static void media_codec_switch_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *user_data)
 	struct spa_bt_device *device = sw->device;
 	DBusMessage *r;
 
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
-
 	spa_assert(sw->pending == pending);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
-	sw->pending = NULL;
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&sw->pending);
 
 	spa_bt_device_update_last_bluez_action_time(device);
 
@@ -4450,9 +4439,7 @@ static void bluez_register_endpoint_legacy_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void
 	struct spa_bt_monitor *monitor = adapter->monitor;
 	DBusMessage *r;
 
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
-
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&pending);
 	if (r == NULL)
 		return;
 
@@ -4751,9 +4738,7 @@ static void bluez_register_application_a2dp_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void
 	DBusMessage *r;
 	bool fallback = true;
 
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
-
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&pending);
 	if (r == NULL)
 		return;
 
@@ -4784,9 +4769,7 @@ static void bluez_register_application_bap_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void
 	struct spa_bt_monitor *monitor = adapter->monitor;
 	DBusMessage *r;
 
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
-
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&pending);
 	if (r == NULL)
 		return;
 
@@ -5200,12 +5183,8 @@ static void get_managed_objects_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *user_data)
 	DBusMessage *r;
 	DBusMessageIter it[6];
 
-	spa_assert(pending == monitor->get_managed_objects_call);
-	monitor->get_managed_objects_call = NULL;
-
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
-
+	spa_assert(monitor->get_managed_objects_call == pending);
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&monitor->get_managed_objects_call);
 	if (r == NULL)
 		return;
 
diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/dbus-helpers.h b/spa/plugins/bluez5/dbus-helpers.h
index 43b9afd2a..a083a1e04 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/dbus-helpers.h
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/dbus-helpers.h
@@ -19,4 +19,14 @@ static inline void cancel_and_unref(DBusPendingCall **pp)
 	}
 }
 
+static inline DBusMessage *steal_reply_and_unref(DBusPendingCall **pp)
+{
+	DBusPendingCall *pending_call = spa_steal_ptr(*pp);
+
+	DBusMessage *reply = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending_call);
+	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending_call);
+
+	return reply;
+}
+
 #endif /* SPA_BLUEZ5_DBUS_HELPERS_H */
diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/modemmanager.c b/spa/plugins/bluez5/modemmanager.c
index 99d9eb67c..0f68e1fa5 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/modemmanager.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/modemmanager.c
@@ -125,10 +125,7 @@ static void mm_get_call_properties_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *user_da
 	MMCallState state;
 
 	spa_assert(call->pending == pending);
-	call->pending = NULL;
-
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&call->pending);
 	if (r == NULL)
 		return;
 
@@ -424,10 +421,7 @@ static void mm_get_managed_objects_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *user_da
 	DBusMessageIter i, array_i;
 
 	spa_assert(this->pending == pending);
-	this->pending = NULL;
-
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&this->pending);
 	if (r == NULL)
 		return;
 
@@ -782,10 +776,7 @@ static void mm_get_call_simple_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *data)
 	free(data);
 
 	spa_assert(call->pending == pending);
-	call->pending = NULL;
-
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&call->pending);
 	if (r == NULL)
 		return;
 
@@ -815,10 +806,7 @@ static void mm_get_call_create_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, void *data)
 	free(data);
 
 	spa_assert(this->voice_pending == pending);
-	this->voice_pending = NULL;
-
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&this->voice_pending);
 	if (r == NULL)
 		return;
 
diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/upower.c b/spa/plugins/bluez5/upower.c
index aca111dd5..5633d9983 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/upower.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/upower.c
@@ -44,8 +44,7 @@ static void upower_get_percentage_properties_reply(DBusPendingCall *pending, voi
 	DBusMessage *r;
 	DBusMessageIter i, variant_i;
 
-	r = dbus_pending_call_steal_reply(pending);
-	dbus_pending_call_unref(pending);
+	r = steal_reply_and_unref(&pending);
 	if (r == NULL)
 		return;