diff --git a/src/vlib/unix/plugin.c b/src/vlib/unix/plugin.c
index 891e2cb..2203592 100644
--- a/src/vlib/unix/plugin.c
+++ b/src/vlib/unix/plugin.c
@@ -194,6 +194,8 @@
       reread_reg = 0;
       goto process_reg;
     }
+  else
+    clib_error_free (error);
 
   error = elf_get_section_by_name (&em, ".vlib_plugin_registration",
 				   &section);