diff --git a/lib/remote/apilistener-configsync.cpp b/lib/remote/apilistener-configsync.cpp
index 3512114e3..189f70599 100644
--- a/lib/remote/apilistener-configsync.cpp
+++ b/lib/remote/apilistener-configsync.cpp
@@ -128,11 +128,13 @@ Value ApiListener::ConfigUpdateObjectAPIHandler(const MessageOrigin::Ptr& origin
 			return Empty;
 		}
 
-		/* object was created, update its version */
 		object = dtype->GetObject(objName);
 
-		if (object)
-			object->SetVersion(objVersion, false, origin);
+		if (!object)
+			return Empty;
+
+		/* object was created, update its version */
+		object->SetVersion(objVersion, false, origin);
 	}
 
 	if (!object)