diff --git a/src/bin/pg_dump/compress_zstd.c b/src/bin/pg_dump/compress_zstd.c
index aa5aff2fee3..02987d6b0ba 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_dump/compress_zstd.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_dump/compress_zstd.c
@@ -137,9 +137,10 @@ EndCompressorZstd(ArchiveHandle *AH, CompressorState *cs)
 		Assert(zstdcs->dstream == NULL);
 		_ZstdWriteCommon(AH, cs, true);
 		ZSTD_freeCStream(zstdcs->cstream);
-		pg_free(zstdcs->output.dst);
 	}
 
+	/* output buffer may be allocated in either mode */
+	pg_free(zstdcs->output.dst);
 	pg_free(zstdcs);
 }