diff --git a/cJSON.c b/cJSON.c
index 7c0d9f37209b769f932ac3142cb3f6b81ec46e7c..7d2c690421e710e23de94e9c623838cc6e1dde0c 100644
--- a/cJSON.c
+++ b/cJSON.c
@@ -1771,7 +1771,7 @@ void   cJSON_AddItemToObject(cJSON *object, const char *string, cJSON *item)
     }
 
     /* free old key and set new one */
-    if (item->string)
+    if (!(item->type & cJSON_StringIsConst) && item->string)
     {
         cJSON_free(item->string);
     }