diff --git a/src/ssl_asn1.c b/src/ssl_asn1.c
index 1b8cfda1c3..29aa52f9bc 100644
--- a/src/ssl_asn1.c
+++ b/src/ssl_asn1.c
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ int wolfSSL_ASN1_item_i2d(const void* obj, byte** dest,
             else
                 *dest += len;
         }
-        if (*dest == NULL)
+        if (ret == 0 && *dest == NULL)
             XFREE(buf, NULL, DYNAMIC_TYPE_ASN1);
     }