diff --git a/src/useradd.c b/src/useradd.c
index 88d8ab7f..56a74559 100644
--- a/src/useradd.c
+++ b/src/useradd.c
@@ -745,10 +745,9 @@ static int set_defaults (void)
 	         def_create_mail_spool, def_log_init));
 	ret = 0;
     setdef_err:
-	free(new_file);
-	if (prefix[0]) {
+	if (prefix[0])
 		free(default_file);
-	}
+	free(new_file);
 
 	return ret;
 }