diff --git a/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c b/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
index 5986615852..e2de42ec6e 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/syncrepl.c
@@ -1088,7 +1088,7 @@ done:
 	ber_free ( ber, 0 );
 	if ( rc != LDAP_SUCCESS ) {
 		entry_free( e );
-		e = NULL;
+		*entry = e = NULL;
 	}
 
 	return rc;