diff --git a/src/network/networkd-route.c b/src/network/networkd-route.c
index ab9b777d9a..bda2707e6d 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-route.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-route.c
@@ -68,15 +68,15 @@ int route_new_static(Network *network, unsigned section, Route **ret) {
         route->protocol = RTPROT_STATIC;
 
         if (section) {
+                route->section = section;
+
                 r = hashmap_put(network->routes_by_section, UINT_TO_PTR(route->section), route);
                 if (r < 0)
                         return r;
-
-                route->section = section;
         }
 
-        LIST_PREPEND(routes, network->static_routes, route);
         route->network = network;
+        LIST_PREPEND(routes, network->static_routes, route);
 
         *ret = route;
         route = NULL;