diff --git a/libostree/ostree-core.c b/libostree/ostree-core.c
index 904ce05d..a3fc34ca 100644
--- a/libostree/ostree-core.c
+++ b/libostree/ostree-core.c
@@ -346,7 +346,6 @@ ostree_parse_metadata_file (const char                  *path,
                             &container, error))
     goto out;
 
-  g_variant_ref_sink (container);
   g_variant_get (container, "(uv)",
                  &ret_type, &ret_variant);
   ret_type = GUINT32_FROM_BE (ret_type);
@@ -359,7 +358,7 @@ ostree_parse_metadata_file (const char                  *path,
 
   ret = TRUE;
   *out_type = ret_type;
-  *out_variant = g_variant_ref_sink (ret_variant);
+  *out_variant = g_variant_take_ref (ret_variant);
   ret_variant = NULL;
  out:
   if (ret_variant)