diff --git a/main/file.c b/main/file.c
index 2f1789481a..a9b36e7f5d 100644
--- a/main/file.c
+++ b/main/file.c
@@ -916,6 +916,7 @@ struct ast_filestream *ast_readfile(const char *filename, const char *type, cons
 			ast_log(LOG_WARNING, "Unable to open %s\n", fn);
 			if (fs)
 				ast_free(fs);
+			fs = NULL;
 			if (bfile)
 				fclose(bfile);
 			ast_free(fn);