diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr_vio.c b/hw/ppc/spapr_vio.c
index b975ed29ca..9d4fec2c04 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr_vio.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr_vio.c
@@ -726,7 +726,7 @@ void spapr_dt_vdevice(SpaprVioBus *bus, void *fdt)
 gchar *spapr_vio_stdout_path(SpaprVioBus *bus)
 {
     SpaprVioDevice *dev;
-    char *name, *path;
+    g_autofree char *name = NULL;
 
     dev = spapr_vty_get_default(bus);
     if (!dev) {
@@ -734,8 +734,6 @@ gchar *spapr_vio_stdout_path(SpaprVioBus *bus)
     }
 
     name = spapr_vio_get_dev_name(DEVICE(dev));
-    path = g_strdup_printf("/vdevice/%s", name);
 
-    g_free(name);
-    return path;
+    return g_strdup_printf("/vdevice/%s", name);
 }