diff --git a/src/conf/virstorageobj.c b/src/conf/virstorageobj.c
index 0ac128c4bc..0b83c2d2de 100644
--- a/src/conf/virstorageobj.c
+++ b/src/conf/virstorageobj.c
@@ -514,7 +514,6 @@ virStoragePoolObjRemove(virStoragePoolObjListPtr pools,
     virObjectLock(obj);
     virHashRemoveEntry(pools->objs, uuidstr);
     virHashRemoveEntry(pools->objsName, obj->def->name);
-    virObjectUnlock(obj);
     virObjectUnref(obj);
     virObjectRWUnlock(pools);
 }
@@ -1594,13 +1593,13 @@ virStoragePoolObjLoad(virStoragePoolObjListPtr pools,
     VIR_FREE(obj->configFile);  /* for driver reload */
     if (VIR_STRDUP(obj->configFile, path) < 0) {
         virStoragePoolObjRemove(pools, obj);
-        virObjectUnref(obj);
+        virStoragePoolObjEndAPI(&obj);
         return NULL;
     }
     VIR_FREE(obj->autostartLink); /* for driver reload */
     if (VIR_STRDUP(obj->autostartLink, autostartLink) < 0) {
         virStoragePoolObjRemove(pools, obj);
-        virObjectUnref(obj);
+        virStoragePoolObjEndAPI(&obj);
         return NULL;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/storage/storage_driver.c b/src/storage/storage_driver.c
index dfa654178b..74a11f4999 100644
--- a/src/storage/storage_driver.c
+++ b/src/storage/storage_driver.c
@@ -126,8 +126,7 @@ virStoragePoolUpdateInactive(virStoragePoolObjPtr *objptr)
 
     if (!virStoragePoolObjGetConfigFile(obj)) {
         virStoragePoolObjRemove(driver->pools, obj);
-        virObjectUnref(obj);
-        *objptr = NULL;
+        virStoragePoolObjEndAPI(objptr);
     } else if (virStoragePoolObjGetNewDef(obj)) {
         virStoragePoolObjDefUseNewDef(obj);
     }
@@ -771,12 +770,8 @@ storagePoolCreateXML(virConnectPtr conn,
 
         if (build_flags ||
             (flags & VIR_STORAGE_POOL_CREATE_WITH_BUILD)) {
-            if (backend->buildPool(obj, build_flags) < 0) {
-                virStoragePoolObjRemove(driver->pools, obj);
-                virObjectUnref(obj);
-                obj = NULL;
-                goto cleanup;
-            }
+            if (backend->buildPool(obj, build_flags) < 0)
+                goto error;
         }
     }
 
@@ -809,8 +804,6 @@ storagePoolCreateXML(virConnectPtr conn,
 
  error:
     virStoragePoolObjRemove(driver->pools, obj);
-    virObjectUnref(obj);
-    obj = NULL;
     goto cleanup;
 }
 
@@ -846,8 +839,6 @@ storagePoolDefineXML(virConnectPtr conn,
 
     if (virStoragePoolObjSaveDef(driver, obj, newDef ? newDef : def) < 0) {
         virStoragePoolObjRemove(driver->pools, obj);
-        virObjectUnref(obj);
-        obj = NULL;
         newDef = NULL;
         goto cleanup;
     }
@@ -914,8 +905,6 @@ storagePoolUndefine(virStoragePoolPtr pool)
 
     VIR_INFO("Undefining storage pool '%s'", def->name);
     virStoragePoolObjRemove(driver->pools, obj);
-    virObjectUnref(obj);
-    obj = NULL;
     ret = 0;
 
  cleanup:
diff --git a/src/test/test_driver.c b/src/test/test_driver.c
index b6b4cb0c0b..87b84e979b 100644
--- a/src/test/test_driver.c
+++ b/src/test/test_driver.c
@@ -6450,16 +6450,12 @@ testStoragePoolCreateXML(virConnectPtr conn,
                             def->source.adapter.data.fchost.wwnn,
                             def->source.adapter.data.fchost.wwpn) < 0) {
             virStoragePoolObjRemove(privconn->pools, obj);
-            virObjectUnref(obj);
-            obj = NULL;
             goto cleanup;
         }
     }
 
     if (testStoragePoolObjSetDefaults(obj) == -1) {
         virStoragePoolObjRemove(privconn->pools, obj);
-        virObjectUnref(obj);
-        obj = NULL;
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
@@ -6517,8 +6513,6 @@ testStoragePoolDefineXML(virConnectPtr conn,
 
     if (testStoragePoolObjSetDefaults(obj) == -1) {
         virStoragePoolObjRemove(privconn->pools, obj);
-        virObjectUnref(obj);
-        obj = NULL;
         goto cleanup;
     }
 
@@ -6547,7 +6541,7 @@ testStoragePoolUndefine(virStoragePoolPtr pool)
                                             0);
 
     virStoragePoolObjRemove(privconn->pools, obj);
-    virObjectUnref(obj);
+    virStoragePoolObjEndAPI(&obj);
 
     virObjectEventStateQueue(privconn->eventState, event);
     return 0;
@@ -6639,11 +6633,9 @@ testStoragePoolDestroy(virStoragePoolPtr pool)
                                             VIR_STORAGE_POOL_EVENT_STOPPED,
                                             0);
 
-    if (!(virStoragePoolObjGetConfigFile(obj))) {
+    if (!(virStoragePoolObjGetConfigFile(obj)))
         virStoragePoolObjRemove(privconn->pools, obj);
-        virObjectUnref(obj);
-        obj = NULL;
-    }
+
     ret = 0;
 
  cleanup: