diff --git a/usr.sbin/sysinst/util.c b/usr.sbin/sysinst/util.c
index 1ec00de47b3c..fbb2cd35e52a 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sysinst/util.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/sysinst/util.c
@@ -1681,14 +1681,16 @@ set_menu_select(menudesc *m, void *arg)
 int
 binary_available(const char *prog)
 {
-        char *p, tmp[MAXPATHLEN], *path = getenv("PATH");
+        char *p, tmp[MAXPATHLEN], *path = getenv("PATH"), *opath;
  
         if (path == NULL)
                 return access(prog, X_OK) == 0;
         path = strdup(path);
         if (path == NULL)
                 return 0;
- 
+
+	opath = path;
+
         while ((p = strsep(&path, ":")) != NULL) {
                 if (strlcpy(tmp, p, MAXPATHLEN) >= MAXPATHLEN)
                         continue;
@@ -1697,11 +1699,11 @@ binary_available(const char *prog)
                 if (strlcat(tmp, prog, MAXPATHLEN) >= MAXPATHLEN)
                         continue;
                 if (access(tmp, X_OK) == 0) {
-                        free(path);
+                        free(opath);
                         return 1;
                 }
         }
-        free(path);
+        free(opath);
         return 0;
 }