diff --git a/libcacard/vscclient.c b/libcacard/vscclient.c
index ac23647236..5180d2945a 100644
--- a/libcacard/vscclient.c
+++ b/libcacard/vscclient.c
@@ -618,18 +618,22 @@ connect_to_qemu(
     if (ret != 0) {
         /* Error */
         fprintf(stderr, "getaddrinfo failed\n");
-        return -1;
+        goto cleanup_socket;
     }
 
     if (connect(sock, server->ai_addr, server->ai_addrlen) < 0) {
         /* Error */
         fprintf(stderr, "Could not connect\n");
-        return -1;
+        goto cleanup_socket;
     }
     if (verbose) {
         printf("Connected (sizeof Header=%zd)!\n", sizeof(VSCMsgHeader));
     }
     return sock;
+
+cleanup_socket:
+    closesocket(sock);
+    return -1;
 }
 
 int
@@ -759,5 +763,6 @@ main(
     g_io_channel_unref(channel_socket);
     g_byte_array_unref(socket_to_send);
 
+    closesocket(sock);
     return 0;
 }