diff --git a/src/util/attrib.c b/src/util/attrib.c
index 26869cfee..5c92b691e 100644
--- a/src/util/attrib.c
+++ b/src/util/attrib.c
@@ -199,11 +199,17 @@ static void a_free(attrib * a)
 
 int a_remove(attrib ** pa, attrib * a)
 {
+    attrib *head = *pa;
     int ok;
+
     assert(a != NULL);
     ok = a_unlink(pa, a);
-    if (ok)
+    if (ok) {
+        if (head == a) {
+            *pa = a->next;
+        }
         a_free(a);
+    }
     return ok;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/util/attrib.test.c b/src/util/attrib.test.c
index 479809d1d..691087477 100644
--- a/src/util/attrib.test.c
+++ b/src/util/attrib.test.c
@@ -39,6 +39,18 @@ static void test_attrib_add(CuTest * tc)
     a_removeall(&alist, &at_bar);
 }
 
+static void test_attrib_remove_self(CuTest * tc) {
+    attrib_type at_foo = { "foo" };
+    attrib *a, *alist = 0;
+
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, a_add(&alist, a_new(&at_foo)));
+    CuAssertPtrNotNull(tc, a = a_add(&alist, a_new(&at_foo)));
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, a, alist->next);
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, 0, alist->nexttype);
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 1, a_remove(&alist, alist));
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, a, alist);
+}
+
 static void test_attrib_remove(CuTest * tc)
 {
     attrib_type at_foo = { "foo" };
@@ -86,6 +98,7 @@ CuSuite *get_attrib_suite(void)
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_attrib_new);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_attrib_add);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_attrib_remove);
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_attrib_remove_self);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_attrib_nexttype);
     return suite;
 }