diff --git a/src/tools/orterun/orterun.c b/src/tools/orterun/orterun.c
index caf20fc1d6..6117c64eca 100644
--- a/src/tools/orterun/orterun.c
+++ b/src/tools/orterun/orterun.c
@@ -884,7 +884,6 @@ static int create_app(int argc, char* argv[], orte_app_context_t **app_ptr,
                     ompi_output(0, "Warning: could not find environment variable \"%s\"\n", param);
                 }
             }
-            free(param);
         }
     }
     app->num_env = ompi_argv_count(app->env);