diff --git a/src/common/dpp_crypto.c b/src/common/dpp_crypto.c
index 37c2b692b..c75fc7871 100644
--- a/src/common/dpp_crypto.c
+++ b/src/common/dpp_crypto.c
@@ -2868,6 +2868,7 @@ struct wpabuf * dpp_pkcs7_certs(const struct wpabuf *pkcs7)
 	res = BIO_read(out, wpabuf_put(pem, 0), rlen);
 	if (res <= 0) {
 		wpabuf_free(pem);
+		pem = NULL;
 		goto fail;
 	}
 	wpabuf_put(pem, res);