diff --git a/hw/ppc/spapr_caps.c b/hw/ppc/spapr_caps.c
index aab313ffb13e..2773f9db9e10 100644
--- a/hw/ppc/spapr_caps.c
+++ b/hw/ppc/spapr_caps.c
@@ -95,12 +95,12 @@ static void spapr_cap_set_bool(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
 }
 
 
-static void  spapr_cap_get_string(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
-                                  void *opaque, Error **errp)
+static void spapr_cap_get_string(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
+                                 void *opaque, Error **errp)
 {
     SpaprCapabilityInfo *cap = opaque;
     SpaprMachineState *spapr = SPAPR_MACHINE(obj);
-    char *val = NULL;
+    g_autofree char *val = NULL;
     uint8_t value = spapr_get_cap(spapr, cap->index);
 
     if (value >= cap->possible->num) {
@@ -111,7 +111,6 @@ static void  spapr_cap_get_string(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,
     val = g_strdup(cap->possible->vals[value]);
 
     visit_type_str(v, name, &val, errp);
-    g_free(val);
 }
 
 static void spapr_cap_set_string(Object *obj, Visitor *v, const char *name,