diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index d75a2669c11cd04247a377e692ea40519dabf36b..bf2eadfe7994a1221fc1b7796b33cec4a0662ea0 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -5739,6 +5739,7 @@ virDomainDefParseBootXML(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt,
         } else {
             def->os.bios.useserial = VIR_DOMAIN_BIOS_USESERIAL_NO;
         }
+        VIR_FREE(useserial);
     }
 
     *bootCount = deviceBoot;