diff --git a/libmapper/mapper.c b/libmapper/mapper.c
index 8bb42e9..c6b797d 100644
--- a/libmapper/mapper.c
+++ b/libmapper/mapper.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 #include "config.h"
+#include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -403,7 +404,6 @@
                                            sd_bus_error *e)
 {
     int r;
-    char *intf = NULL;
     struct mapper_async_subtree *subtree = userdata;
     uint64_t now;
 
@@ -449,12 +449,26 @@
         goto exit;
     }
 
-    sd_bus_message_read(m, "as", 1, &intf);
     if (subtree->op == MAPPER_OP_REMOVE)
     {
+        r = sd_bus_message_enter_container(m, SD_BUS_TYPE_ARRAY, "s");
+        if (r < 0)
+        {
+            async_subtree_done(r, subtree);
+            goto exit;
+        }
+
+        r = sd_bus_message_at_end(m, false);
+        if (r < 0)
+        {
+            async_subtree_done(r, subtree);
+            goto exit;
+        }
+
         /* For remove, operation is complete when the interface is not present
+         * we know it is empty if the returned array is empty
          */
-        if (intf == NULL)
+        if (r)
             async_subtree_done(0, subtree);
     }