diff --git a/src/device/device_ledger.cpp b/src/device/device_ledger.cpp
index aedaf8382..c70422887 100644
--- a/src/device/device_ledger.cpp
+++ b/src/device/device_ledger.cpp
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ namespace hw {
         }
       }
 
-      if (mszReaders) {
+      if (rv == SCARD_S_SUCCESS && mszReaders) {
         #ifdef SCARD_AUTOALLOCATE
         SCardFreeMemory(this->hContext, mszReaders);
         #else