diff --git a/kvm.c b/kvm.c
index 04bb54e..74e37ae 100644
--- a/kvm.c
+++ b/kvm.c
@@ -254,6 +254,7 @@ int kvm__exit(struct kvm *kvm)
 	kvm__arch_delete_ram(kvm);
 	kvm_ipc__stop();
 	kvm__remove_socket(kvm->name);
+	free(kvm->name);
 	free(kvm);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -377,6 +378,12 @@ struct kvm *kvm__init(const char *kvm_dev, const char *hugetlbfs_path, u64 ram_s
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
 
+	kvm->name = strdup(name);
+	if (!kvm->name) {
+		ret = -ENOMEM;
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+
 	if (kvm__check_extensions(kvm)) {
 		pr_err("A required KVM extention is not supported by OS");
 		ret = -ENOSYS;
@@ -384,8 +391,6 @@ struct kvm *kvm__init(const char *kvm_dev, const char *hugetlbfs_path, u64 ram_s
 
 	kvm__arch_init(kvm, hugetlbfs_path, ram_size);
 
-	kvm->name = name;
-
 	kvm_ipc__start(kvm__create_socket(kvm));
 	kvm_ipc__register_handler(KVM_IPC_PID, kvm__pid);
 	return kvm;
diff --git a/powerpc/include/kvm/kvm-arch.h b/powerpc/include/kvm/kvm-arch.h
index 6dd7082..c7620b2 100644
--- a/powerpc/include/kvm/kvm-arch.h
+++ b/powerpc/include/kvm/kvm-arch.h
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ struct kvm {
 	unsigned long		fdt_gra;
 	unsigned long		initrd_gra;
 	unsigned long		initrd_size;
-	const char		*name;
+	char			*name;
 	int			vm_state;
 	struct icp_state	*icp;
 	struct spapr_phb	*phb;
diff --git a/x86/include/kvm/kvm-arch.h b/x86/include/kvm/kvm-arch.h
index ba04561..31c0fb8 100644
--- a/x86/include/kvm/kvm-arch.h
+++ b/x86/include/kvm/kvm-arch.h
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ struct kvm {
 	struct disk_image       **disks;
 	int                     nr_disks;
 
-	const char		*name;
+	char			*name;
 
 	int			vm_state;
 };