diff --git a/src/basic/strv.c b/src/basic/strv.c
index 74d20a9a95..096cb4e5d4 100644
--- a/src/basic/strv.c
+++ b/src/basic/strv.c
@@ -57,20 +57,15 @@ char *strv_find_startswith(char * const *l, const char *name) {
         return NULL;
 }
 
-void strv_clear(char **l) {
+char **strv_free(char **l) {
         char **k;
 
         if (!l)
-                return;
+                return NULL;
 
         for (k = l; *k; k++)
                 free(*k);
 
-        *l = NULL;
-}
-
-char **strv_free(char **l) {
-        strv_clear(l);
         return mfree(l);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/basic/strv.h b/src/basic/strv.h
index 85a49ab5c3..e7c2b1a604 100644
--- a/src/basic/strv.h
+++ b/src/basic/strv.h
@@ -25,8 +25,6 @@ char **strv_free_erase(char **l);
 DEFINE_TRIVIAL_CLEANUP_FUNC(char**, strv_free_erase);
 #define _cleanup_strv_free_erase_ _cleanup_(strv_free_erasep)
 
-void strv_clear(char **l);
-
 char **strv_copy(char * const *l);
 size_t strv_length(char * const *l) _pure_;
 
diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-hwdb/hwdb-util.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-hwdb/hwdb-util.c
index c83575c7c8..1a2da9c79b 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-hwdb/hwdb-util.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-hwdb/hwdb-util.c
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ static int import_file(struct trie *trie, const char *filename, uint16_t file_pr
                                            "Property expected, ignoring record with no properties");
                                 r = -EINVAL;
                                 state = HW_NONE;
-                                strv_clear(match_list);
+                                match_list = strv_free(match_list);
                                 break;
                         }
 
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@ static int import_file(struct trie *trie, const char *filename, uint16_t file_pr
                         if (len == 0) {
                                 /* end of record */
                                 state = HW_NONE;
-                                strv_clear(match_list);
+                                match_list = strv_free(match_list);
                                 break;
                         }
 
@@ -580,7 +580,7 @@ static int import_file(struct trie *trie, const char *filename, uint16_t file_pr
                                            "Property or empty line expected, got \"%s\", ignoring record", line);
                                 r = -EINVAL;
                                 state = HW_NONE;
-                                strv_clear(match_list);
+                                match_list = strv_free(match_list);
                                 break;
                         }