diff --git a/ovsdb/ovsdb-client.c b/ovsdb/ovsdb-client.c
index 45501911c30..3fa1d9afcd3 100644
--- a/ovsdb/ovsdb-client.c
+++ b/ovsdb/ovsdb-client.c
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@ static void
 check_ovsdb_error(struct ovsdb_error *error)
 {
     if (error) {
-        ovs_fatal(0, "%s", ovsdb_error_to_string(error));
+        ovs_fatal(0, "%s", ovsdb_error_to_string_free(error));
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/ovsdb/ovsdb-tool.c b/ovsdb/ovsdb-tool.c
index facd680ff3f..354382f111b 100644
--- a/ovsdb/ovsdb-tool.c
+++ b/ovsdb/ovsdb-tool.c
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ static void
 check_ovsdb_error(struct ovsdb_error *error)
 {
     if (error) {
-        ovs_fatal(0, "%s", ovsdb_error_to_string(error));
+        ovs_fatal(0, "%s", ovsdb_error_to_string_free(error));
     }
 }