diff --git a/src/journal/journalctl.c b/src/journal/journalctl.c
index 019629047b0..86453e65c8f 100644
--- a/src/journal/journalctl.c
+++ b/src/journal/journalctl.c
@@ -1937,5 +1937,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 finish:
         pager_close();
 
+        strv_free(arg_file);
+
         return r < 0 ? EXIT_FAILURE : EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }