diff --git a/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c b/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c
index e73033f..5862c88 100644
--- a/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c
+++ b/drivers/iio/industrialio-buffer.c
@@ -528,8 +528,15 @@
 			 * Note can only occur when adding a buffer.
 			 */
 			list_del(&insert_buffer->buffer_list);
-			indio_dev->active_scan_mask = old_mask;
-			success = -EINVAL;
+			if (old_mask) {
+				indio_dev->active_scan_mask = old_mask;
+				success = -EINVAL;
+			}
+			else {
+				kfree(compound_mask);
+				ret = -EINVAL;
+				goto error_ret;
+			}
 		}
 	} else {
 		indio_dev->active_scan_mask = compound_mask;