diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetclientprogram.c b/src/rpc/virnetclientprogram.c
index 8414ad86e0..c39520abfd 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetclientprogram.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetclientprogram.c
@@ -329,11 +329,11 @@ int virNetClientProgramCall(virNetClientProgramPtr prog,
         goto error;
     }
 
-    VIR_FREE(msg);
+    virNetMessageFree(msg);
 
     return 0;
 
 error:
-    VIR_FREE(msg);
+    virNetMessageFree(msg);
     return -1;
 }
diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetclientstream.c b/src/rpc/virnetclientstream.c
index d5efab12e5..fe15acdf61 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetclientstream.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetclientstream.c
@@ -361,11 +361,12 @@ int virNetClientStreamSendPacket(virNetClientStreamPtr st,
     if (virNetClientSend(client, msg, wantReply) < 0)
         goto error;
 
+    virNetMessageFree(msg);
 
     return nbytes;
 
 error:
-    VIR_FREE(msg);
+    virNetMessageFree(msg);
     return -1;
 }