diff --git a/lib/fuse.c b/lib/fuse.c
index 9731db962..1ac42330d 100644
--- a/lib/fuse.c
+++ b/lib/fuse.c
@@ -1047,7 +1047,7 @@ guestfs_impl_mount_local (guestfs_h *g, const char *localmountpoint,
 
   /* Set g->localmountpoint in the handle. */
   gl_lock_lock (mount_local_lock);
-  g->localmountpoint = localmountpoint;
+  g->localmountpoint = safe_strdup (g, localmountpoint);
   gl_lock_unlock (mount_local_lock);
 
   return 0;
@@ -1090,6 +1090,7 @@ guestfs_impl_mount_local_run (guestfs_h *g)
 
   guestfs_int_free_fuse (g);
   gl_lock_lock (mount_local_lock);
+  free (g->localmountpoint);
   g->localmountpoint = NULL;
   gl_lock_unlock (mount_local_lock);
 
@@ -1148,7 +1149,8 @@ guestfs_impl_umount_local (guestfs_h *g,
     return -1;
   if (WIFEXITED (r) && WEXITSTATUS (r) == EXIT_SUCCESS)
     /* External fusermount succeeded.  Note that the original thread
-     * is responsible for setting g->localmountpoint to NULL.
+     * is responsible for freeing memory and setting
+     * g->localmountpoint to NULL.
      */
     return 0;
 
diff --git a/lib/guestfs-internal.h b/lib/guestfs-internal.h
index be7d8c0a1..adeb9478a 100644
--- a/lib/guestfs-internal.h
+++ b/lib/guestfs-internal.h
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ struct guestfs_h {
 
 #if HAVE_FUSE
   /**** Used by the mount-local APIs. ****/
-  const char *localmountpoint;
+  char *localmountpoint;
   struct fuse *fuse;                    /* FUSE handle. */
   int ml_dir_cache_timeout;             /* Directory cache timeout. */
   Hash_table *lsc_ht, *xac_ht, *rlc_ht; /* Directory cache. */
diff --git a/lib/handle.c b/lib/handle.c
index 449ab42a6..bc45d29b2 100644
--- a/lib/handle.c
+++ b/lib/handle.c
@@ -399,6 +399,7 @@ guestfs_close (guestfs_h *g)
   free (g->hv);
   free (g->backend);
   free (g->backend_data);
+  free (g->localmountpoint);
   guestfs_int_free_string_list (g->backend_settings);
   free (g->append);
   guestfs_int_free_error_data_list (g);