diff --git a/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c b/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
index 105ffdbbaa..35f8d4dcc2 100644
--- a/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
+++ b/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
@@ -458,7 +458,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 #define PACKAGE_VERSION "UNKNOWN-EXPERIMENTAL"
 #endif
   // strdup to put the sring in the core file for post mortem identification
-  LOG_I(HW, "Version: %s\n", strdup(PACKAGE_VERSION));
+  char *pckg = strdup(PACKAGE_VERSION);
+  LOG_I(HW, "Version: %s\n", pckg);
 
   PHY_vars_UE_g = malloc(sizeof(*PHY_vars_UE_g) * NB_UE_INST);
   for (int inst = 0; inst < NB_UE_INST; inst++) {
@@ -593,6 +594,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     }
   }
 
+  free(pckg);
   return 0;
 }