diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index 8cd713f946bbe0a0739ac47687a313ccbf85dd30..8aa9efc44e21cc9662ef784488a7dd0f0b56e3e3 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -5333,7 +5333,6 @@ void qemuProcessStop(virQEMUDriverPtr driver,
                              virDomainNetGetActualDirectMode(net),
                              virDomainNetGetActualVirtPortProfile(net),
                              cfg->stateDir));
-            VIR_FREE(net->ifname);
             break;
         case VIR_DOMAIN_NET_TYPE_BRIDGE:
         case VIR_DOMAIN_NET_TYPE_NETWORK: