diff --git a/lib/libc/iconv/citrus_prop.c b/lib/libc/iconv/citrus_prop.c
index 28318de05a35..642e4230986a 100644
--- a/lib/libc/iconv/citrus_prop.c
+++ b/lib/libc/iconv/citrus_prop.c
@@ -293,8 +293,10 @@ _citrus_prop_read_str(struct _memstream * __restrict ms,
 		}
 		_memstream_ungetc(ms, ch);
 		errnum = _citrus_prop_read_character_common(ms, &ch);
-		if (errnum != 0)
+		if (errnum != 0) {
+			free(s);
 			return (errnum);
+		}
 		s[n] = ch;
 		++n, --m;
 	}