diff --git a/sys/dev/bnxt/bnxt_re/ib_verbs.c b/sys/dev/bnxt/bnxt_re/ib_verbs.c
index 32899abab9ffd1..638989cfac2d2a 100644
--- a/sys/dev/bnxt/bnxt_re/ib_verbs.c
+++ b/sys/dev/bnxt/bnxt_re/ib_verbs.c
@@ -2332,6 +2332,7 @@ static int bnxt_re_create_gsi_qp(struct bnxt_re_qp *qp, struct bnxt_re_pd *pd)
 	rc = bnxt_qplib_create_qp1(res, qplqp);
 	if (rc) {
 		dev_err(rdev_to_dev(rdev), "create HW QP1 failed!\n");
+		bnxt_qplib_free_hdr_buf(res, qplqp);
 		goto out;
 	}