diff --git a/drivers/i3c/master/renesas-i3c.c b/drivers/i3c/master/renesas-i3c.c
index a8a9e89a9710..f39c449922ca 100644
--- a/drivers/i3c/master/renesas-i3c.c
+++ b/drivers/i3c/master/renesas-i3c.c
@@ -748,7 +748,6 @@ static int renesas_i3c_send_ccc_cmd(struct i3c_master_controller *m,
 					   struct i3c_ccc_cmd *ccc)
 {
 	struct renesas_i3c *i3c = to_renesas_i3c(m);
-	struct renesas_i3c_xfer *xfer;
 	struct renesas_i3c_cmd *cmd;
 	int ret, pos = 0;
 
@@ -758,7 +757,7 @@ static int renesas_i3c_send_ccc_cmd(struct i3c_master_controller *m,
 			return pos;
 	}
 
-	xfer = renesas_i3c_alloc_xfer(i3c, 1);
+	struct renesas_i3c_xfer *xfer __free(kfree) = renesas_i3c_alloc_xfer(i3c, 1);
 	if (!xfer)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
@@ -807,8 +806,6 @@ static int renesas_i3c_send_ccc_cmd(struct i3c_master_controller *m,
 	if (ret)
 		ccc->err = I3C_ERROR_M2;
 
-	kfree(xfer);
-
 	return ret;
 }