diff --git a/backends/hostmem.c b/backends/hostmem.c
index 463102aa15df7d21fd034c02dfb68770d9342431..9e1b3a0afc34c1931d19fb4b91fbe13b44d33d42 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem.c
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ host_memory_backend_get_host_nodes(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
 
 ret:
     visit_type_uint16List(v, name, &host_nodes, errp);
+    qapi_free_uint16List(host_nodes);
 }
 
 static void