diff --git a/src/network/networkd-address.c b/src/network/networkd-address.c
index 976be17c0e4..ff125e35dee 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-address.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-address.c
@@ -1035,7 +1035,7 @@ void prefix_free(Prefix *prefix) {
 }
 
 int prefix_new(Prefix **ret) {
-        Prefix *prefix = NULL;
+        _cleanup_prefix_free_ Prefix *prefix = NULL;
 
         prefix = new0(Prefix, 1);
         if (!prefix)