diff --git a/block.c b/block.c
index 2f80b7e094..683a9e0eff 100644
--- a/block.c
+++ b/block.c
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ static BlockDriverState *bdrv_open_inherit(const char *filename,
 static bool bdrv_recurse_has_child(BlockDriverState *bs,
                                    BlockDriverState *child);
 
-static void bdrv_replace_child_noperm(BdrvChild **child,
+static void bdrv_replace_child_noperm(BdrvChild *child,
                                       BlockDriverState *new_bs);
 static void bdrv_remove_file_or_backing_child(BlockDriverState *bs,
                                               BdrvChild *child,
@@ -2359,7 +2359,7 @@ static void bdrv_replace_child_abort(void *opaque)
 
     GLOBAL_STATE_CODE();
     /* old_bs reference is transparently moved from @s to @s->child */
-    bdrv_replace_child_noperm(&s->child, s->old_bs);
+    bdrv_replace_child_noperm(s->child, s->old_bs);
     bdrv_unref(new_bs);
 }
 
@@ -2389,7 +2389,7 @@ static void bdrv_replace_child_tran(BdrvChild *child, BlockDriverState *new_bs,
     if (new_bs) {
         bdrv_ref(new_bs);
     }
-    bdrv_replace_child_noperm(&child, new_bs);
+    bdrv_replace_child_noperm(child, new_bs);
     /* old_bs reference is transparently moved from @child to @s */
 }
 
@@ -2771,10 +2771,9 @@ uint64_t bdrv_qapi_perm_to_blk_perm(BlockPermission qapi_perm)
     return permissions[qapi_perm];
 }
 
-static void bdrv_replace_child_noperm(BdrvChild **childp,
+static void bdrv_replace_child_noperm(BdrvChild *child,
                                       BlockDriverState *new_bs)
 {
-    BdrvChild *child = *childp;
     BlockDriverState *old_bs = child->bs;
     int new_bs_quiesce_counter;
     int drain_saldo;
@@ -2872,7 +2871,7 @@ static void bdrv_attach_child_common_abort(void *opaque)
     BlockDriverState *bs = child->bs;
 
     GLOBAL_STATE_CODE();
-    bdrv_replace_child_noperm(s->child, NULL);
+    bdrv_replace_child_noperm(child, NULL);
 
     if (bdrv_get_aio_context(bs) != s->old_child_ctx) {
         bdrv_try_set_aio_context(bs, s->old_child_ctx, &error_abort);
@@ -2973,7 +2972,7 @@ static int bdrv_attach_child_common(BlockDriverState *child_bs,
     }
 
     bdrv_ref(child_bs);
-    bdrv_replace_child_noperm(&new_child, child_bs);
+    bdrv_replace_child_noperm(new_child, child_bs);
 
     *child = new_child;
 
@@ -3029,13 +3028,13 @@ static int bdrv_attach_child_noperm(BlockDriverState *parent_bs,
     return 0;
 }
 
-static void bdrv_detach_child(BdrvChild **childp)
+static void bdrv_detach_child(BdrvChild *child)
 {
-    BlockDriverState *old_bs = (*childp)->bs;
+    BlockDriverState *old_bs = child->bs;
 
     GLOBAL_STATE_CODE();
-    bdrv_replace_child_noperm(childp, NULL);
-    bdrv_child_free(*childp);
+    bdrv_replace_child_noperm(child, NULL);
+    bdrv_child_free(child);
 
     if (old_bs) {
         /*
@@ -3147,7 +3146,7 @@ void bdrv_root_unref_child(BdrvChild *child)
     GLOBAL_STATE_CODE();
 
     child_bs = child->bs;
-    bdrv_detach_child(&child);
+    bdrv_detach_child(child);
     bdrv_unref(child_bs);
 }