diff --git a/softmmu/dirtylimit.c b/softmmu/dirtylimit.c
index 3c275ee55b..e3ff53b8fc 100644
--- a/softmmu/dirtylimit.c
+++ b/softmmu/dirtylimit.c
@@ -653,7 +653,8 @@ struct DirtyLimitInfoList *qmp_query_vcpu_dirty_limit(Error **errp)
 
 void hmp_info_vcpu_dirty_limit(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
 {
-    DirtyLimitInfoList *limit, *head, *info = NULL;
+    DirtyLimitInfoList *info;
+    g_autoptr(DirtyLimitInfoList) head = NULL;
     Error *err = NULL;
 
     if (!dirtylimit_in_service()) {
@@ -661,20 +662,17 @@ void hmp_info_vcpu_dirty_limit(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict)
         return;
     }
 
-    info = qmp_query_vcpu_dirty_limit(&err);
+    head = qmp_query_vcpu_dirty_limit(&err);
     if (err) {
         hmp_handle_error(mon, err);
         return;
     }
 
-    head = info;
-    for (limit = head; limit != NULL; limit = limit->next) {
+    for (info = head; info != NULL; info = info->next) {
         monitor_printf(mon, "vcpu[%"PRIi64"], limit rate %"PRIi64 " (MB/s),"
                             " current rate %"PRIi64 " (MB/s)\n",
-                            limit->value->cpu_index,
-                            limit->value->limit_rate,
-                            limit->value->current_rate);
+                            info->value->cpu_index,
+                            info->value->limit_rate,
+                            info->value->current_rate);
     }
-
-    g_free(info);
 }