diff --git a/src/runmode-pcap.c b/src/runmode-pcap.c
index b0da4bb991..190538cd9d 100644
--- a/src/runmode-pcap.c
+++ b/src/runmode-pcap.c
@@ -204,14 +204,9 @@ int RunModeIdsPcapAuto(DetectEngineCtx *de_ctx)
                                     live_dev);
     if (ret != 0) {
         printf("ERROR: Unable to start runmode\n");
-        if (live_dev)
-            SCFree(live_dev);
         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
 
-    if (live_dev)
-        SCFree(live_dev);
-
     SCLogInfo("RunModeIdsPcapAuto initialised");
 
     SCReturnInt(0);
@@ -253,14 +248,9 @@ int RunModeIdsPcapAutoFp(DetectEngineCtx *de_ctx)
                               live_dev);
     if (ret != 0) {
         printf("ERROR: Unable to start runmode\n");
-        if (live_dev)
-            SCFree(live_dev);
         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
 
-    if (live_dev)
-        SCFree(live_dev);
-
     SCLogInfo("RunModeIdsPcapAutoFp initialised");
 
     SCReturnInt(0);