diff --git a/src/internal.c b/src/internal.c
index 10e5867b6b..f8d014b30d 100644
--- a/src/internal.c
+++ b/src/internal.c
@@ -29851,11 +29851,9 @@ static int HashSkeData(WOLFSSL* ssl, enum wc_HashType hashType,
         ssl->buffers.digest.length = (unsigned int)digest_sz;
 
         /* buffer for hash */
-        if (!ssl->buffers.digest.buffer) {
-            if (!ssl->options.dontFreeDigest) {
-                XFREE(ssl->buffers.digest.buffer, ssl->heap,
-                    DYNAMIC_TYPE_DIGEST);
-            }
+        if (!ssl->options.dontFreeDigest) {
+            XFREE(ssl->buffers.digest.buffer, ssl->heap,
+                  DYNAMIC_TYPE_DIGEST);
         }
         ssl->options.dontFreeDigest = 0;