diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetsocket.c b/src/rpc/virnetsocket.c
index 0158970686..93980d65d4 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetsocket.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetsocket.c
@@ -704,6 +704,7 @@ int virNetSocketNewConnectSSH(const char *nodename,
 
     virBufferEscapeShell(&buf, netcat);
     if (virBufferError(&buf)) {
+        virCommandFree(cmd);
         virBufferFreeAndReset(&buf);
         virReportOOMError();
         return -1;