diff --git a/src/util/virnetlink.c b/src/util/virnetlink.c
index fa1ba3e2a1..2702c12d24 100644
--- a/src/util/virnetlink.c
+++ b/src/util/virnetlink.c
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ typedef struct nl_handle virNetlinkHandle;
 typedef struct nl_sock virNetlinkHandle;
 # endif
 
+VIR_DEFINE_AUTOPTR_FUNC(virNetlinkHandle, virNetlinkFree)
+
 typedef struct _virNetlinkEventSrvPrivate virNetlinkEventSrvPrivate;
 typedef virNetlinkEventSrvPrivate *virNetlinkEventSrvPrivatePtr;
 struct _virNetlinkEventSrvPrivate {