diff --git a/src/nm-core-utils.c b/src/nm-core-utils.c
index b893eebae0..40081677df 100644
--- a/src/nm-core-utils.c
+++ b/src/nm-core-utils.c
@@ -1190,8 +1190,9 @@ nm_utils_read_link_absolute (const char *link_file, GError **error)
 	dirname = g_path_get_dirname (link_file);
 	if (!g_path_is_absolute (link_file)) {
 		gs_free char *dirname_rel = dirname;
+		gs_free char *current_dir = g_get_current_dir ();
 
-		dirname = g_build_filename (g_get_current_dir (), dirname_rel, NULL);
+		dirname = g_build_filename (current_dir, dirname_rel, NULL);
 	}
 	ln_abs = g_build_filename (dirname, ln, NULL);
 	g_free (dirname);