diff --git a/tests/qemumonitortestutils.c b/tests/qemumonitortestutils.c
index eb9174df5f..d1b2ab5b05 100644
--- a/tests/qemumonitortestutils.c
+++ b/tests/qemumonitortestutils.c
@@ -536,6 +536,7 @@ no_memory:
 error:
     VIR_FREE(tmpdir_template);
     qemuMonitorTestFree(test);
+    test = NULL;
     goto cleanup;
 }