diff --git a/src/modules/dbus-util.c b/src/modules/dbus-util.c
index f6a986a57..4218bca56 100644
--- a/src/modules/dbus-util.c
+++ b/src/modules/dbus-util.c
@@ -403,8 +403,7 @@ void pa_dbus_pending_free(pa_dbus_pending *p) {
     pa_assert(p);
 
     if (p->pending) {
-        dbus_pending_call_cancel(p->pending);
-        dbus_pending_call_unref(p->pending);
+        dbus_pending_call_cancel(p->pending); /* p->pending is freed by cancel() */
     }
 
     if (p->message)