diff --git a/hw/display/sm501.c b/hw/display/sm501.c
index 5ceee4166f..5d2e019575 100644
--- a/hw/display/sm501.c
+++ b/hw/display/sm501.c
@@ -796,13 +796,12 @@ static void sm501_2d_operation(SM501State *s)
             de = db + width + height * (width + dst_pitch);
             if (rtl && ((db >= sb && db <= se) || (de >= sb && de <= se))) {
                 /* regions may overlap: copy via temporary */
-                int free_buf = 0, llb = width * (1 << format);
+                int llb = width * (1 << format);
                 int tmp_stride = DIV_ROUND_UP(llb, sizeof(uint32_t));
                 uint32_t *tmp = tmp_buf;
 
                 if (tmp_stride * sizeof(uint32_t) * height > sizeof(tmp_buf)) {
                     tmp = g_malloc(tmp_stride * sizeof(uint32_t) * height);
-                    free_buf = 1;
                 }
                 pixman_blt((uint32_t *)&s->local_mem[src_base], tmp,
                            src_pitch * (1 << format) / sizeof(uint32_t),
@@ -813,7 +812,7 @@ static void sm501_2d_operation(SM501State *s)
                            dst_pitch * (1 << format) / sizeof(uint32_t),
                            8 * (1 << format), 8 * (1 << format),
                            0, 0, dst_x, dst_y, width, height);
-                if (free_buf) {
+                if (tmp != tmp_buf) {
                     g_free(tmp);
                 }
             } else {