diff --git a/ctdb/server/eventscript.c b/ctdb/server/eventscript.c
index 4ef3b80706a..403e10432b2 100644
--- a/ctdb/server/eventscript.c
+++ b/ctdb/server/eventscript.c
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ int ctdb_start_eventd(struct ctdb_context *ctdb)
 	if (pid == -1) {
 		close(fd[0]);
 		close(fd[1]);
+		talloc_free(argv);
 		return -1;
 	}