diff --git a/src/server.c b/src/server.c
index 5f5333ce4..495a95fae 100644
--- a/src/server.c
+++ b/src/server.c
@@ -5088,6 +5088,7 @@ void closeClildUnusedResourceAfterFork() {
 
     /* Clear server.pidfile, this is the parent pidfile which should not
      * be touched (or deleted) by the child (on exit / crash) */
+    zfree(server.pidfile);
     server.pidfile = NULL;
 }