diff --git a/src/libcharon/sa/ike_sa.c b/src/libcharon/sa/ike_sa.c
index 654508e4b..758a4cdba 100644
--- a/src/libcharon/sa/ike_sa.c
+++ b/src/libcharon/sa/ike_sa.c
@@ -3229,7 +3229,7 @@ ike_sa_t * ike_sa_create(ike_sa_id_t *ike_sa_id, bool initiator,
 		.my_auths = array_create(0, 0),
 		.other_auths = array_create(0, 0),
 		.attributes = array_create(sizeof(attribute_entry_t), 0),
-		.unique_id = ref_get(&unique_id),
+		.unique_id = ref_get_nonzero(&unique_id),
 		.keepalive_interval = lib->settings->get_time(lib->settings,
 								"%s.keep_alive", KEEPALIVE_INTERVAL, lib->ns),
 		.keepalive_dpd_margin = lib->settings->get_time(lib->settings,