diff --git a/components/tcp_transport/transport_ws.c b/components/tcp_transport/transport_ws.c
index e31149e178..43f0bdd360 100644
--- a/components/tcp_transport/transport_ws.c
+++ b/components/tcp_transport/transport_ws.c
@@ -296,7 +296,10 @@ esp_transport_handle_t esp_transport_ws_init(esp_transport_handle_t parent_handl
     ws->parent = parent_handle;
 
     ws->path = strdup("/");
-    ESP_TRANSPORT_MEM_CHECK(TAG, ws->path, return NULL);
+    ESP_TRANSPORT_MEM_CHECK(TAG, ws->path, {
+        free(ws);
+        return NULL;
+    });
     ws->buffer = malloc(DEFAULT_WS_BUFFER);
     ESP_TRANSPORT_MEM_CHECK(TAG, ws->buffer, {
         free(ws->path);