diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index 17a4596e35f29242cc67cc85ced2ca3a7021a409..8766ca2427186a77f71a2ac0fce8b668c9e55514 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -1758,6 +1758,7 @@ qemuInitPasswords(virConnectPtr conn,
             ret = qemuMonitorSetDrivePassphrase(priv->mon,
                                                 vm->def->disks[i]->info.alias,
                                                 secret);
+            VIR_FREE(secret);
             qemuDomainObjExitMonitorWithDriver(driver, vm);
             if (ret < 0)
                 goto cleanup;