diff --git a/Settings.c b/Settings.c
index 3198cb6b643df56d73b92c4b4f5d09df6a561b0a..d95f8d02c3cbdb8efe1dc0f2ef5e095d5b584237 100644
--- a/Settings.c
+++ b/Settings.c
@@ -265,7 +265,6 @@ Settings* Settings_new(ProcessList* pl, Header* header, int cpuCount) {
          // Transition to new location and delete old configuration file
          if (Settings_write(this))
             unlink(legacyDotfile);
-         free(legacyDotfile);
       }
    } else {
       this->changed = true;
@@ -280,5 +279,6 @@ Settings* Settings_new(ProcessList* pl, Header* header, int cpuCount) {
          pl->highlightThreads = false;
       }
    }
+   free(legacyDotfile);
    return this;
 }