diff --git a/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_user.c b/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_user.c
index c88275c24f..2a6a23c4b2 100644
--- a/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_user.c
+++ b/lib/librte_vhost/vhost_user.c
@@ -1395,6 +1395,7 @@ free_zmbufs(struct vhost_virtqueue *vq)
 	drain_zmbuf_list(vq);
 
 	rte_free(vq->zmbufs);
+	vq->zmbufs = NULL;
 }
 
 /*