diff --git a/src/flb_kafka.c b/src/flb_kafka.c
index 316c9ba9719..6a76c0dca33 100644
--- a/src/flb_kafka.c
+++ b/src/flb_kafka.c
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ rd_kafka_conf_t *flb_kafka_conf_create(struct flb_kafka *kafka,
 
 err:
     if (kafka_cfg) {
-        flb_free(kafka_cfg);
+        rd_kafka_conf_destroy(kafka_cfg);
     }
     return NULL;
 }