diff --git a/sys/kern/subr_vmem.c b/sys/kern/subr_vmem.c
index 4e08113d4c49..1de637884321 100644
--- a/sys/kern/subr_vmem.c
+++ b/sys/kern/subr_vmem.c
@@ -1046,10 +1046,8 @@ vmem_create(const char *name, vmem_addr_t base, vmem_size_t size,
 	if (vm == NULL)
 		return (NULL);
 	if (vmem_init(vm, name, base, size, quantum, qcache_max,
-	    flags) == NULL) {
-		free(vm, M_VMEM);
+	    flags) == NULL)
 		return (NULL);
-	}
 	return (vm);
 }