diff --git a/src/util/util.c b/src/util/util.c
index c337aa9ef8e287f8fbb756ced71a8953dec866e8..37472bb8a55af9a30cba5acc7b68d2a02c970ab1 100644
--- a/src/util/util.c
+++ b/src/util/util.c
@@ -568,6 +568,10 @@ __virExec(const char *const*argv,
         }
 
         *retpid = pid;
+
+        if (binary != argv[0])
+            VIR_FREE(binary);
+
         return 0;
     }