diff --git a/tools/acrn-manager/acrn_vm_ops.c b/tools/acrn-manager/acrn_vm_ops.c
index 68403b850..6926d2ccb 100644
--- a/tools/acrn-manager/acrn_vm_ops.c
+++ b/tools/acrn-manager/acrn_vm_ops.c
@@ -93,6 +93,17 @@ void get_vm_list(void)
 	}
 }
 
+void put_vm_list(void)
+{
+	struct vmmngr_struct *s;
+
+	while (!LIST_EMPTY(&vmmngr_head)) {
+		s = LIST_FIRST(&vmmngr_head);
+		LIST_REMOVE(s, list);
+		free(s);
+	}
+}
+
 /* helper functions */
 int shell_cmd(const char *cmd, char *outbuf, int len)
 {
diff --git a/tools/acrn-manager/acrnctl.c b/tools/acrn-manager/acrnctl.c
index 01d203e33..e925e7d52 100644
--- a/tools/acrn-manager/acrnctl.c
+++ b/tools/acrn-manager/acrnctl.c
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ struct acrnctl_cmd {
 /* command: list */
 static int acrnctl_do_list(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	get_vm_list();
 	return list_vm();
 }
 
@@ -265,7 +264,6 @@ static int acrnctl_do_add(int argc, char *argv[])
 	snprintf(cmd, sizeof(cmd), "mkdir -p %s/add", ACRNCTL_OPT_ROOT);
 	system(cmd);
 
-	get_vm_list();
 	s = vmmngr_find(vmname);
 	if (s) {
 		printf("%s(%s) already exist, can't add %s%s\n",
@@ -313,7 +311,6 @@ static int acrnctl_do_stop(int argc, char *argv[])
 	struct vmmngr_struct *s;
 	int i;
 
-	get_vm_list();
 	for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
 		s = vmmngr_find(argv[i]);
 		if (!s) {
@@ -338,7 +335,6 @@ static int acrnctl_do_del(int argc, char *argv[])
 	int i;
 	char cmd[128];
 
-	get_vm_list();
 	for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
 		s = vmmngr_find(argv[i]);
 		if (!s) {
@@ -365,7 +361,6 @@ static int acrnctl_do_start(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	struct vmmngr_struct *s;
 
-	get_vm_list();
 	s = vmmngr_find(argv[1]);
 	if (!s) {
 		printf("can't find %s\n", argv[1]);
@@ -451,7 +446,7 @@ static void usage(void)
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	int i;
+	int i, err;
 
 	if (argc == 1 || !strcmp(argv[1], "help")) {
 		usage();
@@ -471,7 +466,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			if (acmds[i].valid_args(&acmds[i], argc - 1, &argv[1])) {
 				return -1;
 			} else {
-				return acmds[i].func(argc - 1, &argv[1]);
+				get_vm_list();
+				err = acmds[i].func(argc - 1, &argv[1]);
+				put_vm_list();
+
+				return err;
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/tools/acrn-manager/acrnctl.h b/tools/acrn-manager/acrnctl.h
index df117d64a..733e4e0d3 100644
--- a/tools/acrn-manager/acrnctl.h
+++ b/tools/acrn-manager/acrnctl.h
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ static const char *state_str[] = {
  */
 void get_vm_list(void);
 
+/**
+ * @brief free all vmmngr_struct allocated by get_vm_list
+ */
+void put_vm_list(void);
+
 /**
  * @brief search vm indentified by vm from vmmngr_head
  *