diff --git a/backends/hostmem-memfd.c b/backends/hostmem-memfd.c
index 3fc85c3..db28ab5a 100644
--- a/backends/hostmem-memfd.c
+++ b/backends/hostmem-memfd.c
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@
 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 @@
     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