diff --git a/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c b/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c
index da2841891ad1..b02619f2516a 100644
--- a/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c
+++ b/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c
@@ -2848,10 +2848,8 @@ static int checkpoint_put (flux_t *h, const char *key, const char *rootref)
                              "value",
                              value)))
         goto error;
-    if (flux_rpc_get (f, NULL) < 0) {
-        flux_future_destroy (f);
+    if (flux_rpc_get (f, NULL) < 0)
         goto error;
-    }
     rv = 0;
 error:
     flux_future_destroy (f);