diff --git a/src/shared/strv.c b/src/shared/strv.c
index 5cfab8f23..1f7313475 100644
--- a/src/shared/strv.c
+++ b/src/shared/strv.c
@@ -38,9 +38,10 @@ void strv_clear(char **l) {
         *l = NULL;
 }
 
-void strv_free(char **l) {
+char **strv_free(char **l) {
         strv_clear(l);
         free(l);
+        return NULL;
 }
 
 char **strv_copy(char * const *l) {
diff --git a/src/shared/strv.h b/src/shared/strv.h
index 94bdbe62a..ed0bb2e37 100644
--- a/src/shared/strv.h
+++ b/src/shared/strv.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 #include "util.h"
 
-void strv_free(char **l);
+char **strv_free(char **l);
 DEFINE_TRIVIAL_CLEANUP_FUNC(char**, strv_free);
 #define _cleanup_strv_free_ _cleanup_(strv_freep)