diff --git a/src/core/dbus-timer.c b/src/core/dbus-timer.c
index 2f61a5842d..439c276fac 100644
--- a/src/core/dbus-timer.c
+++ b/src/core/dbus-timer.c
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ static int timer_add_one_calendar_spec(
 
                 *v = (TimerValue) {
                         .base = base,
-                        .calendar_spec = c,
+                        .calendar_spec = TAKE_PTR(c),
                 };
 
                 LIST_PREPEND(value, t->values, v);