diff --git a/apps/pkeyutl.c b/apps/pkeyutl.c
index 5a27bf00ecaa00..f57eaa3bad0686 100644
--- a/apps/pkeyutl.c
+++ b/apps/pkeyutl.c
@@ -662,6 +662,7 @@ static EVP_PKEY_CTX *init_ctx(const char *kdfalg, int *pkeysize,
         else
             ctx = EVP_PKEY_CTX_new_from_pkey(libctx, pkey, propq);
         EVP_PKEY_free(pkey);
+        pkey = NULL;
     }
 
     if (ctx == NULL)