diff --git a/python/libvirt-override.c b/python/libvirt-override.c
index 4aee628b39..8a643a30bd 100644
--- a/python/libvirt-override.c
+++ b/python/libvirt-override.c
@@ -1520,6 +1520,7 @@ libvirt_virConnectOpenAuth(PyObject *self ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED, PyObject *args) {
 
     c_retval = virConnectOpenAuth(name, &auth, flags);
     LIBVIRT_END_ALLOW_THREADS;
+    free(auth.credtype);
     py_retval = libvirt_virConnectPtrWrap((virConnectPtr) c_retval);
     return(py_retval);
 }