1 files changed, 2 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/libbb/copy_file.c b/libbb/copy_file.c
index 98bd4fe72..2d6557cd4 100644
--- a/libbb/copy_file.c
+++ b/libbb/copy_file.c
@@ -388,14 +388,15 @@ int FAST_FUNC copy_file(const char *source, const char *dest, int flags)
                 char *lpath = xmalloc_readlink_or_warn(source);
                 if (lpath) {
                         int r = symlink(lpath, dest);
-                        free(lpath);
                         if (r < 0) {
                                 /* shared message */
                                 bb_perror_msg("can't create %slink '%s' to '%s'",
                                         "sym", dest, lpath
                                 );
+                                free(lpath);
                                 return -1;
                         }
+                        free(lpath);
                         if (flags & FILEUTILS_PRESERVE_STATUS)
                                 if (lchown(dest, source_stat.st_uid, source_stat.st_gid) < 0)
                                         bb_perror_msg("can't preserve %s of '%s'", "ownership", dest);