diff --git a/openair3/S1AP/s1ap_eNB_handlers.c b/openair3/S1AP/s1ap_eNB_handlers.c
index d5436df9fcab2efa72247ab6d991a516a79a9b58..22501bf9a5f36faf57f325e0f334683045c2124a 100644
--- a/openair3/S1AP/s1ap_eNB_handlers.c
+++ b/openair3/S1AP/s1ap_eNB_handlers.c
@@ -1212,6 +1212,7 @@ int s1ap_eNB_handle_paging(uint32_t               assoc_id,
     } else {
       /* invalid paging_p->cnDomain */
       S1AP_ERROR("[SCTP %d] Received Paging : cnDomain(%ld) is unknown\n", assoc_id, ie->value.choice.CNDomain);
+      itti_free (ITTI_MSG_ORIGIN_ID(message_p), message_p);
       return -1;
     }
   } else {