diff --git a/daemon/namespace.c b/daemon/namespace.c
index eb9d9b3..8e7fcb5 100644
--- a/daemon/namespace.c
+++ b/daemon/namespace.c
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ int nfs41_root_create(
     status = nfs41_client_owner(name, sec_flavor, &root->client_owner);
     if (status) {
         eprintf("nfs41_client_owner() failed with %d\n", status);
+        free(root);
         goto out;
     }