diff --git a/src/vmware/vmware_conf.c b/src/vmware/vmware_conf.c
index 0c2b0f4c0be3c654fbcc5947f33da019ef5218d9..3ced61028e97f9b468a4232bc9eae980812f7ff6 100644
--- a/src/vmware/vmware_conf.c
+++ b/src/vmware/vmware_conf.c
@@ -105,14 +105,15 @@ vmwareCapsInit(void)
                                           VIR_DOMAIN_VIRT_VMWARE,
                                           NULL, NULL, 0, NULL) == NULL)
             goto error;
+        guest = NULL;
     }
 
- cleanup:
     return caps;
 
  error:
+    virCapabilitiesFreeGuest(guest);
     virObjectUnref(caps);
-    goto cleanup;
+    return NULL;
 }
 
 int