diff --git a/unix-socket.c b/unix-socket.c
index 79800d8063..9a21ade5d8 100644
--- a/unix-socket.c
+++ b/unix-socket.c
@@ -63,8 +63,10 @@ static int unix_sockaddr_init(struct sockaddr_un *sa, const char *path,
 		if (strbuf_getcwd(&cwd))
 			return -1;
 		ctx->orig_dir = strbuf_detach(&cwd, NULL);
-		if (chdir_len(dir, slash - dir) < 0)
+		if (chdir_len(dir, slash - dir) < 0) {
+			FREE_AND_NULL(ctx->orig_dir);
 			return -1;
+		}
 	}
 
 	memset(sa, 0, sizeof(*sa));