diff --git a/src/basic/fs-util.c b/src/basic/fs-util.c
index 87d743b617..a8e50d4c78 100644
--- a/src/basic/fs-util.c
+++ b/src/basic/fs-util.c
@@ -834,8 +834,6 @@ int chase_symlinks(const char *path, const char *original_root, unsigned flags,
                                 if (fd < 0)
                                         return -errno;
 
-                                free(done);
-
                                 if (flags & CHASE_SAFE) {
                                         if (fstat(fd, &st) < 0)
                                                 return -errno;
@@ -846,6 +844,8 @@ int chase_symlinks(const char *path, const char *original_root, unsigned flags,
                                         previous_stat = st;
                                 }
 
+                                free(done);
+
                                 /* Note that we do not revalidate the root, we take it as is. */
                                 if (isempty(root))
                                         done = NULL;