diff --git a/src/libcharon/sa/child_sa.c b/src/libcharon/sa/child_sa.c
index 494c36b2e..aeb46ed43 100644
--- a/src/libcharon/sa/child_sa.c
+++ b/src/libcharon/sa/child_sa.c
@@ -2096,7 +2096,7 @@ child_sa_t *child_sa_create(host_t *me, host_t *other, child_cfg_t *config,
 		.close_action = config->get_close_action(config),
 		.dpd_action = config->get_dpd_action(config),
 		.reqid = config->get_reqid(config),
-		.unique_id = ref_get(&unique_id),
+		.unique_id = ref_get_nonzero(&unique_id),
 		.mark_in = config->get_mark(config, TRUE),
 		.mark_out = config->get_mark(config, FALSE),
 		.if_id_in = config->get_if_id(config, TRUE) ?: data->if_id_in_def,