diff --git a/src/journal-remote/journal-upload.c b/src/journal-remote/journal-upload.c
index b9b310b664..fac90d22a2 100644
--- a/src/journal-remote/journal-upload.c
+++ b/src/journal-remote/journal-upload.c
@@ -271,8 +271,7 @@ int start_upload(Uploader *u,
                 /* truncate the potential old error message */
                 u->error[0] = '\0';
 
-                free(u->answer);
-                u->answer = 0;
+                u->answer = mfree(u->answer);
         }
 
         /* upload to this place */