diff --git a/src/intl/gettext/libintl.c b/src/intl/gettext/libintl.c
index 9aa373b4..a4c7f39c 100644
--- a/src/intl/gettext/libintl.c
+++ b/src/intl/gettext/libintl.c
@@ -231,7 +231,10 @@ init_gettext(struct module *module)
 static void
 done_gettext(struct module *module)
 {
-	mem_free_set(&LANGUAGE, NULL);
+	if (LANGUAGE) {
+		free(LANGUAGE);
+		LANGUAGE = NULL;
+	}
 }
 
 struct module gettext_module = struct_module(
diff --git a/src/intl/libintl.c b/src/intl/libintl.c
index 777e0814..f07c538d 100644
--- a/src/intl/libintl.c
+++ b/src/intl/libintl.c
@@ -229,7 +229,10 @@ init_gettext(struct module *module)
 static void
 done_gettext(struct module *module)
 {
-	mem_free_set(&LANGUAGE, NULL);
+	if (LANGUAGE) {
+		free(LANGUAGE);
+		LANGUAGE = NULL;
+	}
 }
 
 struct module gettext_module = struct_module(