diff --git a/softmmu/qdev-monitor.c b/softmmu/qdev-monitor.c
index b5aaae4b8c..01ec420e61 100644
--- a/softmmu/qdev-monitor.c
+++ b/softmmu/qdev-monitor.c
@@ -593,8 +593,8 @@ const char *qdev_set_id(DeviceState *dev, char *id, Error **errp)
         if (prop) {
             dev->id = id;
         } else {
-            g_free(id);
             error_setg(errp, "Duplicate device ID '%s'", id);
+            g_free(id);
             return NULL;
         }
     } else {