diff --git a/components/esp_http_client/lib/http_header.c b/components/esp_http_client/lib/http_header.c
index 4d5e327d62..66af197f4d 100644
--- a/components/esp_http_client/lib/http_header.c
+++ b/components/esp_http_client/lib/http_header.c
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ static esp_err_t http_header_new_item(http_header_handle_t header, const char *k
 _header_new_item_exit:
     free(item->key);
     free(item->value);
+    free(item);
     return ESP_ERR_NO_MEM;
 }