diff --git a/crypto/x509/x509_vfy.c b/crypto/x509/x509_vfy.c
index f5face18df575631fb7352654acd170b7265ed38..6a47281170457513508de21628b4253fe5ec84cc 100644
--- a/crypto/x509/x509_vfy.c
+++ b/crypto/x509/x509_vfy.c
@@ -405,7 +405,6 @@ X509_STORE_CTX *ctx;
 		}
 	ok=1;
 end:
-	EVP_PKEY_free(pkey);
 	return(ok);
 	}