diff --git a/src/kit/shell/src/shellImport.c b/src/kit/shell/src/shellImport.c
index 1dea6bca702e761850b5fefbba308791655aa00a..cd8b06c91c71d8c08ae7ac362ee92719c6c05a08 100644
--- a/src/kit/shell/src/shellImport.c
+++ b/src/kit/shell/src/shellImport.c
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ static void shellSourceFile(TAOS *con, char *fptr) {
   if (f == NULL) {
     fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: failed to open file %s\n", fname);
     wordfree(&full_path);
+    free(cmd);
     return;
   }