diff --git a/util/cutils.c b/util/cutils.c
index ee908486da..c9b91e7535 100644
--- a/util/cutils.c
+++ b/util/cutils.c
@@ -1055,5 +1055,5 @@ char *get_relocated_path(const char *dir)
         assert(G_IS_DIR_SEPARATOR(dir[-1]));
         g_string_append(result, dir - 1);
     }
-    return result->str;
+    return g_string_free(result, false);
 }