diff --git a/modules/rest_client/rest_methods.c b/modules/rest_client/rest_methods.c
index 8b3d20872f5..0bdac16d987 100644
--- a/modules/rest_client/rest_methods.c
+++ b/modules/rest_client/rest_methods.c
@@ -631,8 +631,8 @@ void rcl_release_url(char *url_host, int update_conn_ts)
 		void **connected_ts;
 
 		connected_ts = map_get(rcl_connections, host_str);
-		if (connected_ts)
-			*connected_ts = (void *)(unsigned long)get_ticks();
+		if (connected_ts && *connected_ts)
+			*(unsigned long *)(*connected_ts) = (unsigned long)get_ticks();
 	}
 
 	pkg_free(url_host);