diff --git a/block/vdi.c b/block/vdi.c
index 2a6dc26124..548f8a057b 100644
--- a/block/vdi.c
+++ b/block/vdi.c
@@ -696,18 +696,20 @@ nonallocating_write:
 
     if (block) {
         /* One or more new blocks were allocated. */
-        VdiHeader *header = (VdiHeader *) block;
+        VdiHeader *header;
         uint8_t *base;
         uint64_t offset;
         uint32_t n_sectors;
 
+        g_free(block);
+        header = g_malloc(sizeof(*header));
+
         logout("now writing modified header\n");
         assert(VDI_IS_ALLOCATED(bmap_first));
         *header = s->header;
         vdi_header_to_le(header);
-        ret = bdrv_pwrite(bs->file, 0, block, sizeof(VdiHeader));
-        g_free(block);
-        block = NULL;
+        ret = bdrv_pwrite(bs->file, 0, header, sizeof(*header));
+        g_free(header);
 
         if (ret < 0) {
             return ret;