diff --git a/src/nvim/quickfix.c b/src/nvim/quickfix.c
index 198f02a255..75dae44478 100644
--- a/src/nvim/quickfix.c
+++ b/src/nvim/quickfix.c
@@ -2390,7 +2390,7 @@ static char *qf_push_dir(char *dirbuf, struct dir_stack_T **stackptr, bool is_fi
         (*stackptr)->dirname = dirname;
         break;
       }
-
+      xfree(dirname);
       ds_new = ds_new->next;
     }