diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/fn.v b/vlib/v/gen/fn.v
index 078364ecd3..1ea64d4ebf 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/fn.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/fn.v
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) method_call(node ast.CallExpr) {
 		node.from_embed_type == 0 {
 		g.write('/*rec*/*')
 	}
-	if node.free_receiver && !g.inside_lambda && !g.is_builtin_mod {
+	if g.is_autofree && node.free_receiver && !g.inside_lambda && !g.is_builtin_mod {
 		// The receiver expression needs to be freed, use the temp var.
 		fn_name := node.name.replace('.', '_')
 		arg_name := '_arg_expr_${fn_name}_0_$node.pos.pos'