diff --git a/src/common/slurmdb_defs.c b/src/common/slurmdb_defs.c
index cb0a1fc678e341a6ee54d13943cbfed38cac20ae..3e6b78c85216a1e6b036fcd9f23da3be5bcba27f 100644
--- a/src/common/slurmdb_defs.c
+++ b/src/common/slurmdb_defs.c
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ static void _free_cluster_rec_members(slurmdb_cluster_rec_t *cluster)
 		xfree(cluster->control_host);
 		xfree(cluster->dim_size);
 		xfree(cluster->fed.name);
+		slurm_persist_conn_destroy(cluster->fed.send);
 		xfree(cluster->name);
 		xfree(cluster->nodes);
 		slurmdb_destroy_assoc_rec(cluster->root_assoc);