diff --git a/src/nvim/msgpack_rpc/channel.c b/src/nvim/msgpack_rpc/channel.c
index da1dc8d1b5..b6f0be0cd1 100644
--- a/src/nvim/msgpack_rpc/channel.c
+++ b/src/nvim/msgpack_rpc/channel.c
@@ -137,7 +137,6 @@ uint64_t channel_from_job(char **argv)
                                 &status);
 
   if (status <= 0) {
-    free_channel(channel);
     return 0;
   }