diff --git a/builtin-clone.c b/builtin-clone.c
index 736c72c236..880373f279 100644
--- a/builtin-clone.c
+++ b/builtin-clone.c
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	atexit(remove_junk);
 	sigchain_push_common(remove_junk_on_signal);
 
-	setenv(CONFIG_ENVIRONMENT, xstrdup(mkpath("%s/config", git_dir)), 1);
+	setenv(CONFIG_ENVIRONMENT, mkpath("%s/config", git_dir), 1);
 
 	if (safe_create_leading_directories_const(git_dir) < 0)
 		die("could not create leading directories of '%s'", git_dir);