diff --git a/src/misc/messages.c b/src/misc/messages.c
index e12cbac1cfb1e4966173e0902e8a0e1c47e230c7..02edea820b684242846d5da7b08d16b12d7a2d14 100644
--- a/src/misc/messages.c
+++ b/src/misc/messages.c
@@ -210,6 +210,8 @@ void __msg_Unsubscribe( vlc_object_t *p_this, msg_subscription_t *p_sub )
     msg_bank_t *p_bank = &p_this->p_libvlc->msg_bank;
     int i,j;
 
+    free( p_sub ); /* we won't dereference the pointer */
+
     vlc_mutex_lock( &p_bank->lock );
 
     for( i = 0 ; i< p_bank->i_queues ; i++ )
@@ -222,7 +224,6 @@ void __msg_Unsubscribe( vlc_object_t *p_this, msg_subscription_t *p_sub )
                 REMOVE_ELEM( p_bank->pp_queues[i]->pp_sub,
                              p_bank->pp_queues[i]->i_sub,
                              j );
-                if( p_sub ) free( p_sub );
             }
         }
         vlc_mutex_unlock( & p_bank->pp_queues[i]->lock );