diff --git a/gst/udp/gstudpsink.c b/gst/udp/gstudpsink.c
index a9666ed077..cc5c84daed 100644
--- a/gst/udp/gstudpsink.c
+++ b/gst/udp/gstudpsink.c
@@ -223,9 +223,9 @@ gst_udpsink_set_uri (GstUDPSink * sink, const gchar * uri)
   /* ERRORS */
 wrong_protocol:
   {
-    g_free (protocol);
     GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (sink, RESOURCE, READ, (NULL),
         ("error parsing uri %s: wrong protocol (%s != udp)", uri, protocol));
+    g_free (protocol);
     return FALSE;
   }
 }
diff --git a/gst/udp/gstudpsrc.c b/gst/udp/gstudpsrc.c
index df2b8932bb..c84e46cfc3 100644
--- a/gst/udp/gstudpsrc.c
+++ b/gst/udp/gstudpsrc.c
@@ -645,9 +645,9 @@ gst_udpsrc_set_uri (GstUDPSrc * src, const gchar * uri)
   /* ERRORS */
 wrong_protocol:
   {
-    g_free (protocol);
     GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (src, RESOURCE, READ, (NULL),
         ("error parsing uri %s: wrong protocol (%s != udp)", uri, protocol));
+    g_free (protocol);
     return FALSE;
   }
 }