diff --git a/util/qemu-sockets.c b/util/qemu-sockets.c
index d8183f79d7..b39ae74fe0 100644
--- a/util/qemu-sockets.c
+++ b/util/qemu-sockets.c
@@ -1338,12 +1338,14 @@ char *socket_address_to_string(struct SocketAddress *addr, Error **errp)
 
 SocketAddress *socket_address_flatten(SocketAddressLegacy *addr_legacy)
 {
-    SocketAddress *addr = g_new(SocketAddress, 1);
+    SocketAddress *addr;
 
     if (!addr_legacy) {
         return NULL;
     }
 
+    addr = g_new(SocketAddress, 1);
+
     switch (addr_legacy->type) {
     case SOCKET_ADDRESS_LEGACY_KIND_INET:
         addr->type = SOCKET_ADDRESS_TYPE_INET;