diff --git a/ip/xfrm_state.c b/ip/xfrm_state.c
index 6ff5b51f..c0cf88c2 100644
--- a/ip/xfrm_state.c
+++ b/ip/xfrm_state.c
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ static int xfrm_state_modify(int cmd, unsigned flags, int argc, char **argv)
 			NEXT_ARG();
 			preferred_family = AF_UNSPEC;
 			xfrm_selector_parse(&req.xsinfo.sel, &argc, &argv);
-			preferred_family = req.xsinfo.sel;
+			preferred_family = req.xsinfo.sel.family;
 		} else if (strcmp(*argv, "limit") == 0) {
 			NEXT_ARG();
 			xfrm_lifetime_cfg_parse(&req.xsinfo.lft, &argc, &argv);