diff --git a/src/usb.c b/src/usb.c
index 4b57ed98f..03ac1ab3c 100644
--- a/src/usb.c
+++ b/src/usb.c
@@ -855,6 +855,7 @@ stlink_t *stlink_open_usb(enum ugly_loglevel verbose, bool reset, char serial[16
         if (ret != 0) {
             WLOG("Error %d (%s) opening ST-Link/V2 device %03d:%03d\n",
                  ret, strerror (errno), libusb_get_bus_number(list[cnt]), libusb_get_device_address(list[cnt]));
+            libusb_free_device_list(list, 1);
             goto on_error;
         }
     }