diff --git a/plugins/out_stackdriver/stackdriver.c b/plugins/out_stackdriver/stackdriver.c
index 60b66c48ce4..afcf15fe327 100644
--- a/plugins/out_stackdriver/stackdriver.c
+++ b/plugins/out_stackdriver/stackdriver.c
@@ -1723,7 +1723,7 @@ static flb_sds_t stackdriver_format(struct flb_stackdriver *ctx,
 
     /* Parameters for trace */
     int trace_extracted = FLB_FALSE;
-    flb_sds_t trace;
+    flb_sds_t trace = NULL;
     char stackdriver_trace[PATH_MAX];
     const char *new_trace;
 
@@ -2357,6 +2357,7 @@ static flb_sds_t stackdriver_format(struct flb_stackdriver *ctx,
             flb_plg_error(ctx->ins, "the type of payload labels should be map");
             flb_sds_destroy(operation_id);
             flb_sds_destroy(operation_producer);
+            flb_sds_destroy(trace);
             flb_log_event_decoder_destroy(&log_decoder);
             msgpack_sbuffer_destroy(&mp_sbuf);
             return NULL;