diff --git a/src/network/bridge_driver_linux.c b/src/network/bridge_driver_linux.c
index 50fc197134030101ef32a96b6c354d756f7ffe64..f2827543ca6b095d1f73f06e5e3aa9e20a6de051 100644
--- a/src/network/bridge_driver_linux.c
+++ b/src/network/bridge_driver_linux.c
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ void networkPreReloadFirewallRules(bool startup)
     if (rc < 0) {
         errInitV4 = virSaveLastError();
         virResetLastError();
+    } else {
+        virFreeError(errInitV4);
+        errInitV4 = NULL;
     }
     if (rc)
         created = true;
@@ -63,6 +66,9 @@ void networkPreReloadFirewallRules(bool startup)
     if (rc < 0) {
         errInitV6 = virSaveLastError();
         virResetLastError();
+    } else {
+        virFreeError(errInitV6);
+        errInitV6 = NULL;
     }
     if (rc)
         created = true;