diff --git a/backends/hostmem-epc.c b/backends/hostmem-epc.c
index 4e162d6789..3ceb079f9e 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem-epc.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem-epc.c
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
 static void
 sgx_epc_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error **errp)
 {
+    g_autofree char *name = NULL;
     uint32_t ram_flags;
-    char *name;
     int fd;
 
     if (!backend->size) {
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ sgx_epc_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error **errp)
     memory_region_init_ram_from_fd(&backend->mr, OBJECT(backend),
                                    name, backend->size, ram_flags,
                                    fd, 0, errp);
-    g_free(name);
 }
 
 static void sgx_epc_backend_instance_init(Object *obj)
diff --git a/backends/hostmem-file.c b/backends/hostmem-file.c
index 361d4a8103..fe8c481f8f 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem-file.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem-file.c
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ file_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error **errp)
                object_get_typename(OBJECT(backend)));
 #else
     HostMemoryBackendFile *fb = MEMORY_BACKEND_FILE(backend);
+    g_autofree gchar *name = NULL;
     uint32_t ram_flags;
-    gchar *name;
 
     if (!backend->size) {
         error_setg(errp, "can't create backend with size 0");
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ file_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error **errp)
     memory_region_init_ram_from_file(&backend->mr, OBJECT(backend), name,
                                      backend->size, fb->align, ram_flags,
                                      fb->mem_path, fb->offset, errp);
-    g_free(name);
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/backends/hostmem-memfd.c b/backends/hostmem-memfd.c
index 3fc85c3db8..db28ab5a56 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem-memfd.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem-memfd.c
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ static void
 memfd_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error **errp)
 {
     HostMemoryBackendMemfd *m = MEMORY_BACKEND_MEMFD(backend);
+    g_autofree char *name = NULL;
     uint32_t ram_flags;
-    char *name;
     int fd;
 
     if (!backend->size) {
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ memfd_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error **errp)
     ram_flags |= backend->reserve ? 0 : RAM_NORESERVE;
     memory_region_init_ram_from_fd(&backend->mr, OBJECT(backend), name,
                                    backend->size, ram_flags, fd, 0, errp);
-    g_free(name);
 }
 
 static bool
diff --git a/backends/hostmem-ram.c b/backends/hostmem-ram.c
index b8e55cdbd0..0a670fc22a 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem-ram.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem-ram.c
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@
 static void
 ram_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error **errp)
 {
+    g_autofree char *name = NULL;
     uint32_t ram_flags;
-    char *name;
 
     if (!backend->size) {
         error_setg(errp, "can't create backend with size 0");
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ ram_backend_memory_alloc(HostMemoryBackend *backend, Error **errp)
     ram_flags |= backend->reserve ? 0 : RAM_NORESERVE;
     memory_region_init_ram_flags_nomigrate(&backend->mr, OBJECT(backend), name,
                                            backend->size, ram_flags, errp);
-    g_free(name);
 }
 
 static void