diff --git a/src/nspawn/nspawn-register.c b/src/nspawn/nspawn-register.c
index e459cb63ec..0d45cce66e 100644
--- a/src/nspawn/nspawn-register.c
+++ b/src/nspawn/nspawn-register.c
@@ -236,9 +236,8 @@ int allocate_scope(
                 int kill_signal,
                 char **properties) {
 
+        _cleanup_(sd_bus_message_unrefp) sd_bus_message *m = NULL, *reply = NULL;
         _cleanup_(sd_bus_error_free) sd_bus_error error = SD_BUS_ERROR_NULL;
-        _cleanup_(sd_bus_message_unrefp) sd_bus_message *m = NULL;
-        _cleanup_(sd_bus_message_unrefp) sd_bus_message *reply = NULL;
         _cleanup_(bus_wait_for_jobs_freep) BusWaitForJobs *w = NULL;
         _cleanup_free_ char *scope = NULL;
         const char *description, *object;