diff --git a/common/image-sparse.c b/common/image-sparse.c
index 86ff5a04bb..f3806431f9 100644
--- a/common/image-sparse.c
+++ b/common/image-sparse.c
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ void write_sparse_image(
 				    __func__);
 				fastboot_fail(
 				    "Request would exceed partition size!");
+				free(fill_buf);
 				return;
 			}