diff --git a/vlib/builtin/string.v b/vlib/builtin/string.v
index 1b6e58a0c3..d8c48fb729 100644
--- a/vlib/builtin/string.v
+++ b/vlib/builtin/string.v
@@ -1491,7 +1491,7 @@ pub fn (s &string) free() {
 		}
 		return
 	}
-	if s.is_lit == 1 || s.len == 0 || s.str == 0 {
+	if s.is_lit == 1 || s.str == 0 {
 		return
 	}
 	unsafe {