diff --git a/lib/test-lib.c b/lib/test-lib.c
index 699dde6a8..2e4448796 100644
--- a/lib/test-lib.c
+++ b/lib/test-lib.c
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ int
 main (int argc, char *argv[])
 {
   XdgAppInstallation *installation;
-  XdgAppRemoteRef **refs;
   XdgAppInstalledRef *app1;
   XdgAppInstalledRef *app2;
   XdgAppRemoteRef *remote_ref;
@@ -174,6 +173,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 
   for (i = 0; remotes[i] != NULL; i++)
     {
+      g_autoptr(GPtrArray) refs = NULL;
       g_print ("\nRemote: %s %s %s %d %d\n",
                xdg_app_remote_get_name (remotes[i]),
                xdg_app_remote_get_url (remotes[i]),
@@ -182,19 +182,19 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
                xdg_app_remote_get_noenumerate (remotes[i]));
 
       g_print ("\n**** Listing remote refs on %s\n", xdg_app_remote_get_name (remotes[i]));
-      refs = xdg_app_remote_list_refs_sync (remotes[i],
-                                            NULL, NULL);
+      refs = xdg_app_remote_list_refs_sync (remotes[i], NULL, NULL);
       if (refs)
         {
-          for (j = 0; refs[j] != NULL; j++)
+          for (j = 0; j < refs->len; j++)
             {
+              XdgAppRemoteRef *ref = g_ptr_array_index(refs,j);
               g_print ("%d %s %s %s %s %s\n",
-                       xdg_app_ref_get_kind (XDG_APP_REF(refs[j])),
-                       xdg_app_ref_get_name (XDG_APP_REF(refs[j])),
-                       xdg_app_ref_get_arch (XDG_APP_REF(refs[j])),
-                       xdg_app_ref_get_version (XDG_APP_REF(refs[j])),
-                       xdg_app_ref_get_commit (XDG_APP_REF(refs[j])),
-                       xdg_app_remote_ref_get_remote_name (refs[j]));
+                       xdg_app_ref_get_kind (XDG_APP_REF(ref)),
+                       xdg_app_ref_get_name (XDG_APP_REF(ref)),
+                       xdg_app_ref_get_arch (XDG_APP_REF(ref)),
+                       xdg_app_ref_get_version (XDG_APP_REF(ref)),
+                       xdg_app_ref_get_commit (XDG_APP_REF(ref)),
+                       xdg_app_remote_ref_get_remote_name (ref));
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/lib/xdg-app-remote.c b/lib/xdg-app-remote.c
index a9b355d9d..a2faf1ff9 100644
--- a/lib/xdg-app-remote.c
+++ b/lib/xdg-app-remote.c
@@ -179,10 +179,10 @@ xdg_app_remote_get_gpg_verify (XdgAppRemote *self)
  *
  * Lists all the refs in a #XdgAppRemote.
  *
- * Returns: (transfer full) (array zero-terminated=1): a %NULL-terminated array
- *   of #XdgAppRemoteRef instances
+ * Returns: (transfer container) (element-type XdgAppInstalledRef): an GPtrArray of
+ *   #XdgAppRemoteRef instances
  */
-XdgAppRemoteRef **
+GPtrArray *
 xdg_app_remote_list_refs_sync (XdgAppRemote *self,
                                GCancellable *cancellable,
                                GError **error)
@@ -211,8 +211,7 @@ xdg_app_remote_list_refs_sync (XdgAppRemote *self,
                        xdg_app_remote_ref_new (refspec, checksum, priv->name, priv->dir));
     }
 
-  g_ptr_array_add (refs, NULL);
-  return (XdgAppRemoteRef **)g_ptr_array_free (g_steal_pointer (&refs), FALSE);
+  return g_steal_pointer (&refs);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/xdg-app-remote.h b/lib/xdg-app-remote.h
index 7f2109017..61186db08 100644
--- a/lib/xdg-app-remote.h
+++ b/lib/xdg-app-remote.h
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ XDG_APP_EXTERN char *        xdg_app_remote_get_title      (XdgAppRemote *self);
 XDG_APP_EXTERN gboolean      xdg_app_remote_get_gpg_verify (XdgAppRemote *self);
 XDG_APP_EXTERN gboolean      xdg_app_remote_get_noenumerate (XdgAppRemote *self);
 
-XDG_APP_EXTERN XdgAppRemoteRef **xdg_app_remote_list_refs_sync (XdgAppRemote   *self,
-                                                                GCancellable   *cancellable,
-                                                                GError        **error);
+XDG_APP_EXTERN GPtrArray    *xdg_app_remote_list_refs_sync (XdgAppRemote   *self,
+                                                            GCancellable   *cancellable,
+                                                            GError        **error);
 XDG_APP_EXTERN XdgAppRemoteRef  *xdg_app_remote_fetch_ref_sync (XdgAppRemote   *self,
                                                                 XdgAppRefKind   kind,
                                                                 const char     *name,