diff --git a/src/libostree/ostree-sysroot-deploy.c b/src/libostree/ostree-sysroot-deploy.c
index b573325c..4314520a 100644
--- a/src/libostree/ostree-sysroot-deploy.c
+++ b/src/libostree/ostree-sysroot-deploy.c
@@ -2736,6 +2736,7 @@ ostree_sysroot_stage_tree (OstreeSysroot     *self,
   if (!ostree_sysroot_load (self, cancellable, error))
     return FALSE;
 
+  ot_transfer_out_value (out_new_deployment, &deployment);
   return TRUE;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ostree/ot-admin-builtin-deploy.c b/src/ostree/ot-admin-builtin-deploy.c
index 0a1755fd..38ec923f 100644
--- a/src/ostree/ot-admin-builtin-deploy.c
+++ b/src/ostree/ot-admin-builtin-deploy.c
@@ -178,12 +178,14 @@ ot_admin_builtin_deploy (int argc, char **argv, OstreeCommandInvocation *invocat
       if (!ostree_sysroot_stage_tree (sysroot, opt_osname, revision, origin, merge_deployment,
                                       kargs_strv, &new_deployment, cancellable, error))
         return FALSE;
+      g_assert (new_deployment);
     }
   else
     {
       if (!ostree_sysroot_deploy_tree (sysroot, opt_osname, revision, origin, merge_deployment,
                                        kargs_strv, &new_deployment, cancellable, error))
         return FALSE;
+      g_assert (new_deployment);
 
       OstreeSysrootSimpleWriteDeploymentFlags flags = OSTREE_SYSROOT_SIMPLE_WRITE_DEPLOYMENT_FLAGS_NO_CLEAN;
       if (opt_retain)