diff --git a/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/parameter_map.cpp b/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/parameter_map.cpp
index 8f7bc0655c..cb458e7db3 100644
--- a/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/parameter_map.cpp
+++ b/rclcpp/src/rclcpp/parameter_map.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "rcpputils/find_and_replace.hpp"
+#include "rcpputils/scope_exit.hpp"
 #include "rclcpp/parameter_map.hpp"
 
 using rclcpp::exceptions::InvalidParametersException;
@@ -146,9 +147,11 @@ rclcpp::parameter_map_from_yaml_file(const std::string & yaml_filename)
 {
   rcutils_allocator_t allocator = rcutils_get_default_allocator();
   rcl_params_t * rcl_parameters = rcl_yaml_node_struct_init(allocator);
+  RCPPUTILS_SCOPE_EXIT(rcl_yaml_node_struct_fini(rcl_parameters); );
   const char * path = yaml_filename.c_str();
   if (!rcl_parse_yaml_file(path, rcl_parameters)) {
     rclcpp::exceptions::throw_from_rcl_error(RCL_RET_ERROR);
   }
+
   return rclcpp::parameter_map_from(rcl_parameters);
 }