diff --git a/src/v/cloud_storage/recursive_directory_walker.cc b/src/v/cloud_storage/recursive_directory_walker.cc
index 37355ad863af9..e6c3cc5f57e14 100644
--- a/src/v/cloud_storage/recursive_directory_walker.cc
+++ b/src/v/cloud_storage/recursive_directory_walker.cc
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ struct walk_accumulator {
     bool empty() const { return dirlist.empty(); }
 
     ss::sstring pop() {
-        auto r = dirlist.back();
+        auto r = std::move(dirlist.back());
         dirlist.pop_back();
         return r;
     }