diff --git a/src/locking/lock_daemon.c b/src/locking/lock_daemon.c
index fc714052be..1edd912c3e 100644
--- a/src/locking/lock_daemon.c
+++ b/src/locking/lock_daemon.c
@@ -607,10 +607,10 @@ virLockDaemonPostExecRestart(const char *state_file,
                              bool privileged)
 {
     const char *gotmagic;
-    char *wantmagic = NULL;
+    g_autofree char *wantmagic = NULL;
     int ret = -1;
-    char *state = NULL;
-    virJSONValue *object = NULL;
+    g_autofree char *state = NULL;
+    g_autoptr(virJSONValue) object = NULL;
 
     VIR_DEBUG("Running post-restart exec");
 
@@ -660,9 +660,6 @@ virLockDaemonPostExecRestart(const char *state_file,
 
  cleanup:
     unlink(state_file);
-    VIR_FREE(wantmagic);
-    VIR_FREE(state);
-    virJSONValueFree(object);
     return ret;
 }