diff --git a/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c b/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c
index 6b098340d6..9f09ce1171 100644
--- a/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c
+++ b/gdk/x11/gdkscreen-x11.c
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ get_work_area (GdkScreen    *screen,
   gulong          num;
   gulong          leftovers;
   gulong          max_len = 4 * 32;
-  guchar         *ret_workarea;
+  guchar         *ret_workarea = NULL;
   long           *workareas;
   int             result;
   int             disp_screen;
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ get_work_area (GdkScreen    *screen,
       format == 0 ||
       leftovers ||
       num % 4 != 0)
-    return;
+    goto out;
 
   desktop = get_current_desktop (screen);
 
@@ -371,7 +371,9 @@ get_work_area (GdkScreen    *screen,
   area->width /= x11_screen->window_scale;
   area->height /= x11_screen->window_scale;
 
-  XFree (ret_workarea);
+out:
+  if (ret_workarea)
+    XFree (ret_workarea);
 }
 
 static void