diff --git a/hw/riscv/virt.c b/hw/riscv/virt.c
index f8278df83f..710fbbda2c 100644
--- a/hw/riscv/virt.c
+++ b/hw/riscv/virt.c
@@ -1356,7 +1356,6 @@ static void virt_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
     RISCVVirtState *s = RISCV_VIRT_MACHINE(machine);
     MemoryRegion *system_memory = get_system_memory();
     MemoryRegion *mask_rom = g_new(MemoryRegion, 1);
-    char *soc_name;
     DeviceState *mmio_irqchip, *virtio_irqchip, *pcie_irqchip;
     int i, base_hartid, hart_count;
     int socket_count = riscv_socket_count(machine);
@@ -1376,6 +1375,8 @@ static void virt_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
     /* Initialize sockets */
     mmio_irqchip = virtio_irqchip = pcie_irqchip = NULL;
     for (i = 0; i < socket_count; i++) {
+        g_autofree char *soc_name = g_strdup_printf("soc%d", i);
+
         if (!riscv_socket_check_hartids(machine, i)) {
             error_report("discontinuous hartids in socket%d", i);
             exit(1);
@@ -1393,10 +1394,8 @@ static void virt_machine_init(MachineState *machine)
             exit(1);
         }
 
-        soc_name = g_strdup_printf("soc%d", i);
         object_initialize_child(OBJECT(machine), soc_name, &s->soc[i],
                                 TYPE_RISCV_HART_ARRAY);
-        g_free(soc_name);
         object_property_set_str(OBJECT(&s->soc[i]), "cpu-type",
                                 machine->cpu_type, &error_abort);
         object_property_set_int(OBJECT(&s->soc[i]), "hartid-base",