diff --git a/drivers/md/dm-exception-store.c b/drivers/md/dm-exception-store.c
index 3d65917a1bbbe97e2336d75255d97fe7a9ca2bf9..8fe81e1807e0cc9c7e35202990bc419274143335 100644
--- a/drivers/md/dm-exception-store.c
+++ b/drivers/md/dm-exception-store.c
@@ -623,6 +623,7 @@ int dm_create_persistent(struct exception_store *store)
 
 	ps->metadata_wq = create_singlethread_workqueue("ksnaphd");
 	if (!ps->metadata_wq) {
+		kfree(ps);
 		DMERR("couldn't start header metadata update thread");
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}