diff --git a/devicemodel/core/mem.c b/devicemodel/core/mem.c
index b07c8ca0e..c203400cb 100644
--- a/devicemodel/core/mem.c
+++ b/devicemodel/core/mem.c
@@ -248,13 +248,13 @@ unregister_mem_int(struct mmio_rb_tree *rbt, struct mem_range *memp)
 			/* flush Per-VM cache */
 			if (mmio_hint == entry)
 				mmio_hint = NULL;
+
+			if (entry)
+				free(entry);
 		}
 	}
 	pthread_rwlock_unlock(&mmio_rwlock);
 
-	if (entry)
-		free(entry);
-
 	return err;
 }