diff --git a/opal/class/opal_free_list.c b/opal/class/opal_free_list.c
index 21e01a2cec..6dc0d249da 100644
--- a/opal/class/opal_free_list.c
+++ b/opal/class/opal_free_list.c
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ static void opal_free_list_destruct(opal_free_list_t* fl)
     opal_list_item_t *item;
 
     if (fl->fl_elem_class) {
-        OPAL_LIST_FOREACH(item, &fl->super, opal_list_item_t) {
+        while (NULL != (item = opal_list_remove_first (&fl->super))) {
             /* destruct the item (we constructed it), the underlying memory will be
              * reclaimed when we free the slab below */
             OBJ_DESTRUCT(item);