diff --git a/openair-cn/S1AP/s1ap_mme.c b/openair-cn/S1AP/s1ap_mme.c
index 5db35b0620..01d8b27e19 100644
--- a/openair-cn/S1AP/s1ap_mme.c
+++ b/openair-cn/S1AP/s1ap_mme.c
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ void *s1ap_mme_thread(void *args)
                            ITTI_MSG_ID(received_message_p), ITTI_MSG_NAME(received_message_p));
             } break;
         }
-        free(received_message_p);
+        itti_free(ITTI_MSG_ORIGIN_ID(received_message_p), received_message_p);
         received_message_p = NULL;
     }
     return NULL;