diff --git a/src/control_socket.cpp b/src/control_socket.cpp
index 89db72bc9..e6247cdf5 100644
--- a/src/control_socket.cpp
+++ b/src/control_socket.cpp
@@ -320,6 +320,7 @@ process_audio_message(struct module *root_module, const char *cmd)
                 } else if (prefix_matches(cmd, "unmute-")) {
                         msg->type = RECEIVER_MSG_UNMUTE;
                 } else {
+                        free_message((struct message *) msg, nullptr);
                         return new_response(RESPONSE_BAD_REQUEST,
                                             "malformed audio recv mute msg");
                 }
@@ -334,6 +335,7 @@ process_audio_message(struct module *root_module, const char *cmd)
                 } else if (prefix_matches(cmd, "unmute-")) {
                         msg->type = SENDER_MSG_UNMUTE;
                 } else {
+                        free_message((struct message *) msg, nullptr);
                         return new_response(RESPONSE_BAD_REQUEST,
                                             "malformed audio send mute msg");
                 }