diff --git a/libretro-common/streams/file_stream.c b/libretro-common/streams/file_stream.c
index 6f4ca78475..2e72402f45 100644
--- a/libretro-common/streams/file_stream.c
+++ b/libretro-common/streams/file_stream.c
@@ -478,8 +478,7 @@ char *filestream_getline(RFILE *stream)
 
          if (!newline_tmp)
          {
-            if (newline)
-               free(newline);
+            free(newline);
             return NULL;
          }