diff --git a/Xi/xipassivegrab.c b/Xi/xipassivegrab.c
index aa965e46f..65d5870f6 100644
--- a/Xi/xipassivegrab.c
+++ b/Xi/xipassivegrab.c
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ ProcXIPassiveGrabDevice(ClientPtr client)
     };
     int i, ret = Success;
     uint32_t *modifiers;
-    xXIGrabModifierInfo *modifiers_failed;
+    xXIGrabModifierInfo *modifiers_failed = NULL;
     GrabMask mask = { 0 };
     GrabParameters param;
     void *tmp;
@@ -232,8 +232,8 @@ ProcXIPassiveGrabDevice(ClientPtr client)
     if (rep.num_modifiers)
         WriteToClient(client, rep.length * 4, modifiers_failed);
 
-    free(modifiers_failed);
  out:
+    free(modifiers_failed);
     xi2mask_free(&mask.xi2mask);
     return ret;
 }