diff --git a/noice.c b/noice.c
index 820b851a..24e687ae 100644
--- a/noice.c
+++ b/noice.c
@@ -128,8 +128,10 @@ xdirname(const char *path)
 	 * original string if we lose track of it. */
 	tmp = xstrdup(path);
 	p = dirname(tmp);
-	if (p == NULL)
+	if (p == NULL) {
+		free(tmp);
 		printerr(1, "dirname");
+	}
 	/* Make sure this is a malloc(3)-ed string */
 	p = xstrdup(p);
 	free(tmp);