diff --git a/lib/sh/netopen.c b/lib/sh/netopen.c
index 736d413..e584548 100644
--- a/lib/sh/netopen.c
+++ b/lib/sh/netopen.c
@@ -304,6 +304,7 @@ netopen (path)
   if (t == 0)
     {
       internal_error (_("%s: bad network path specification"), path);
+      free (np);
       return -1;
     }
   *t++ = '\0';