diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr_drc.c b/hw/ppc/spapr_drc.c
index 0ba84063aa..251201fab3 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr_drc.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr_drc.c
@@ -519,8 +519,8 @@ static const VMStateDescription vmstate_spapr_drc = {
 static void drc_realize(DeviceState *d, Error **errp)
 {
     SpaprDrc *drc = SPAPR_DR_CONNECTOR(d);
+    g_autofree gchar *link_name = g_strdup_printf("%x", spapr_drc_index(drc));
     Object *root_container;
-    gchar *link_name;
     const char *child_name;
 
     trace_spapr_drc_realize(spapr_drc_index(drc));
@@ -532,12 +532,10 @@ static void drc_realize(DeviceState *d, Error **errp)
      * existing in the composition tree
      */
     root_container = container_get(object_get_root(), DRC_CONTAINER_PATH);
-    link_name = g_strdup_printf("%x", spapr_drc_index(drc));
     child_name = object_get_canonical_path_component(OBJECT(drc));
     trace_spapr_drc_realize_child(spapr_drc_index(drc), child_name);
     object_property_add_alias(root_container, link_name,
                               drc->owner, child_name);
-    g_free(link_name);
     vmstate_register(VMSTATE_IF(drc), spapr_drc_index(drc), &vmstate_spapr_drc,
                      drc);
     trace_spapr_drc_realize_complete(spapr_drc_index(drc));