diff --git a/drivers/md/dm-mpath.c b/drivers/md/dm-mpath.c
index e8f704a..9f7302d 100644
--- a/drivers/md/dm-mpath.c
+++ b/drivers/md/dm-mpath.c
@@ -664,6 +664,8 @@
 	request_module("scsi_dh_%s", m->hw_handler_name);
 	if (scsi_dh_handler_exist(m->hw_handler_name) == 0) {
 		ti->error = "unknown hardware handler type";
+		kfree(m->hw_handler_name);
+		m->hw_handler_name = NULL;
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 	consume(as, hw_argc - 1);