diff --git a/drivers/staging/rtl8188eu/core/rtw_mlme.c b/drivers/staging/rtl8188eu/core/rtw_mlme.c
index 155282ef78fb..6412e2e759a8 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/rtl8188eu/core/rtw_mlme.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/rtl8188eu/core/rtw_mlme.c
@@ -120,9 +120,8 @@ void rtw_free_mlme_priv_ie_data(struct mlme_priv *pmlmepriv)
 
 void _rtw_free_mlme_priv(struct mlme_priv *pmlmepriv)
 {
-	rtw_free_mlme_priv_ie_data(pmlmepriv);
-
 	if (pmlmepriv) {
+		rtw_free_mlme_priv_ie_data(pmlmepriv);
 		if (pmlmepriv->free_bss_buf)
 			vfree(pmlmepriv->free_bss_buf);
 	}