diff --git a/include/qemu/readline.h b/include/qemu/readline.h
index c08cf7400e..e81258322b 100644
--- a/include/qemu/readline.h
+++ b/include/qemu/readline.h
@@ -59,5 +59,6 @@ ReadLineState *readline_init(ReadLinePrintfFunc *printf_func,
                              ReadLineFlushFunc *flush_func,
                              void *opaque,
                              ReadLineCompletionFunc *completion_finder);
+void readline_free(ReadLineState *rs);
 
 #endif /* READLINE_H */
diff --git a/monitor.c b/monitor.c
index d682eee2d8..b9da5e20d1 100644
--- a/monitor.c
+++ b/monitor.c
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ static void monitor_data_destroy(Monitor *mon)
     if (monitor_is_qmp(mon)) {
         json_message_parser_destroy(&mon->qmp.parser);
     }
-    g_free(mon->rs);
+    readline_free(mon->rs);
     QDECREF(mon->outbuf);
     qemu_mutex_destroy(&mon->out_lock);
 }
diff --git a/util/readline.c b/util/readline.c
index bbdee790b0..24ec839854 100644
--- a/util/readline.c
+++ b/util/readline.c
@@ -500,12 +500,28 @@ const char *readline_get_history(ReadLineState *rs, unsigned int index)
     return rs->history[index];
 }
 
+void readline_free(ReadLineState *rs)
+{
+    int i;
+
+    if (!rs) {
+        return;
+    }
+    for (i = 0; i < READLINE_MAX_CMDS; i++) {
+        g_free(rs->history[i]);
+    }
+    for (i = 0; i < READLINE_MAX_COMPLETIONS; i++) {
+        g_free(rs->completions[i]);
+    }
+    g_free(rs);
+}
+
 ReadLineState *readline_init(ReadLinePrintfFunc *printf_func,
                              ReadLineFlushFunc *flush_func,
                              void *opaque,
                              ReadLineCompletionFunc *completion_finder)
 {
-    ReadLineState *rs = g_malloc0(sizeof(*rs));
+    ReadLineState *rs = g_new0(ReadLineState, 1);
 
     rs->hist_entry = -1;
     rs->opaque = opaque;