diff --git a/src/x509_str.c b/src/x509_str.c
index 50b029794..5670135fa 100644
--- a/src/x509_str.c
+++ b/src/x509_str.c
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ exit:
         }
     }
     if (failedCerts) {
-        wolfSSL_sk_X509_free(failedCerts);
+        wolfSSL_sk_X509_pop_free(failedCerts, NULL);
     }
 
     /* Remove additional intermediates from init from the store */