diff --git a/src/util/virstoragefilebackend.c b/src/util/virstoragefilebackend.c
index 2779b5c307..55c62b0212 100644
--- a/src/util/virstoragefilebackend.c
+++ b/src/util/virstoragefilebackend.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ virStorageFileLoadBackendModule(const char *name,
                                 const char *regfunc,
                                 bool forceload)
 {
-    char *modfile = NULL;
+    g_autofree char *modfile = NULL;
     int ret;
 
     if (!(modfile = virFileFindResourceFull(name,
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ virStorageFileLoadBackendModule(const char *name,
 
     ret = virModuleLoad(modfile, regfunc, forceload);
 
-    VIR_FREE(modfile);
-
     return ret;
 }
 #endif /* WITH_STORAGE_DIR || WITH_STORAGE_FS || WITH_STORAGE_GLUSTER */