diff --git a/contrib/vhost-user-input/main.c b/contrib/vhost-user-input/main.c
index 449fd2171a..ef4b7769f2 100644
--- a/contrib/vhost-user-input/main.c
+++ b/contrib/vhost-user-input/main.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ static void vi_input_send(VuInput *vi, struct virtio_input_event *event)
         len = iov_from_buf(elem->in_sg, elem->in_num,
                            0, &vi->queue[i].event, sizeof(virtio_input_event));
         vu_queue_push(dev, vq, elem, len);
-        g_free(elem);
+        free(elem);
     }
 
     vu_queue_notify(&vi->dev.parent, vq);
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ static void vi_handle_sts(VuDev *dev, int qidx)
                          0, &event, sizeof(event));
         vi_handle_status(vi, &event);
         vu_queue_push(dev, vq, elem, len);
-        g_free(elem);
+        free(elem);
     }
 
     vu_queue_notify(&vi->dev.parent, vq);