diff --git a/lib/ftp.c b/lib/ftp.c
index 25d1f958c..0da33fbbc 100644
--- a/lib/ftp.c
+++ b/lib/ftp.c
@@ -2234,6 +2234,8 @@ CURLcode Curl_ftp(struct connectdata *conn)
       /* since we didn't connect now, we want do_more to get called */
       conn->bits.do_more = TRUE;
   }
+  else
+    freedirs(ftp);
 
   return retcode;
 }