diff --git a/crypto/err/err.c b/crypto/err/err.c
index d0425d8fc..6b3d97820 100644
--- a/crypto/err/err.c
+++ b/crypto/err/err.c
@@ -474,6 +474,9 @@ static void err_set_error_data(char *data, int flags) {
   struct err_error_st *error;
 
   if (state->top == state->bottom) {
+    if (flags & ERR_FLAG_MALLOCED) {
+      OPENSSL_free(data);
+    }
     return;
   }