diff --git a/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c b/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
index 9b55d39fb8..de873b9984 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
+++ b/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
@@ -416,8 +416,11 @@ _nl_sock_flush_data (struct nl_sock *sk)
 {
 	int nle;
 	struct nl_cb *cb;
+	struct nl_cb *cb0;
 
-	cb = nl_cb_clone (nl_socket_get_cb (sk));
+	cb0 = nl_socket_get_cb (sk);
+	cb = nl_cb_clone (cb0);
+	nl_cb_put (cb0);
 	if (cb == NULL)
 		return -NLE_NOMEM;