diff --git a/src/nwfilter/nwfilter_gentech_driver.c b/src/nwfilter/nwfilter_gentech_driver.c
index ecba16d55c..55c7571ea5 100644
--- a/src/nwfilter/nwfilter_gentech_driver.c
+++ b/src/nwfilter/nwfilter_gentech_driver.c
@@ -493,8 +493,7 @@ virNWFilterDoInstantiate(virNWFilterTechDriver *techdriver,
     virNWFilterVarValue *lv;
     const char *learning;
     bool reportIP = false;
-
-    GHashTable *missing_vars = virHashNew(virNWFilterVarValueHashFree);
+    g_autoptr(GHashTable) missing_vars = virHashNew(virNWFilterVarValueHashFree);
 
     memset(&inst, 0, sizeof(inst));
 
@@ -593,7 +592,6 @@ virNWFilterDoInstantiate(virNWFilterTechDriver *techdriver,
 
  error:
     virNWFilterInstReset(&inst);
-    virHashFree(missing_vars);
 
     return rc;