diff --git a/libavcodec/qsv.c b/libavcodec/qsv.c
index 7816d2f93c..6e3154e1a3 100644
--- a/libavcodec/qsv.c
+++ b/libavcodec/qsv.c
@@ -361,6 +361,7 @@ static int ff_qsv_set_display_handle(AVCodecContext *avctx, QSVSession *qs)
     av_dict_set(&child_device_opts, "driver",        "iHD",  0);
 
     ret = av_hwdevice_ctx_create(&qs->va_device_ref, AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_VAAPI, NULL, child_device_opts, 0);
+    av_dict_free(&child_device_opts);
     if (ret < 0) {
         av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Failed to create a VAAPI device.\n");
         return ret;
@@ -375,8 +376,6 @@ static int ff_qsv_set_display_handle(AVCodecContext *avctx, QSVSession *qs)
         }
     }
 
-    av_dict_free(&child_device_opts);
-
     return 0;
 }
 #endif //AVCODEC_QSV_LINUX_SESSION_HANDLE