diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 10ed0e5..8a5cb07 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	struct command_line_options cmd_opts;
 	elfpatch_handle_t *ep;
 	int ret = 0;
-	uint32_t *crcs;
+	uint32_t *crcs = NULL;
 
 	xml_init();
 
@@ -484,10 +484,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 ret_close_elf:
 	elf_patch_close_and_free(ep);
 
-	/* Free the CRCs. This is not strictly necessary... */
-	free(crcs);
 free_cmds:
 	free_cmd_args(&cmd_opts);
 
+	/* Free CRCs if necessary */
+	if (crcs)
+		free(crcs);
+
 	return ret;
 }