diff --git a/zookeeper-client/zookeeper-client-c/src/zk_sasl.c b/zookeeper-client/zookeeper-client-c/src/zk_sasl.c
index 587b93b511b..c741a88943a 100644
--- a/zookeeper-client/zookeeper-client-c/src/zk_sasl.c
+++ b/zookeeper-client/zookeeper-client-c/src/zk_sasl.c
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ zoo_sasl_client_t *zoo_sasl_client_create(zoo_sasl_params_t *sasl_params)
 
     if (rc != ZOK) {
         zoo_sasl_client_destroy(sc);
+        free(sc);
         return NULL;
     }