diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
index daa6f947f622b187c011ee7da6f86d3a2e5a27bb..881756568885085997a031ec85ab2520955bd5f0 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_driver.c
@@ -1433,7 +1433,13 @@ qemudFindCharDevicePTYsMonitor(virConnectPtr conn,
                 return -1;                                                \
             }                                                             \
                                                                           \
+            VIR_FREE(chr->data.file.path);                                \
             chr->data.file.path = strdup(path);                           \
+                                                                          \
+            if (chr->data.file.path == NULL) {                            \
+                virReportOOMError(conn);                                  \
+                return -1;                                                \
+            }                                                             \
         }                                                                 \
     }