diff --git a/lib/vtls/sectransp.c b/lib/vtls/sectransp.c
index 348bbe202a..0459ac0655 100644
--- a/lib/vtls/sectransp.c
+++ b/lib/vtls/sectransp.c
@@ -1086,7 +1086,6 @@ static OSStatus CopyIdentityWithLabel(char *label,
   CFArrayRef keys_list;
   CFIndex keys_list_count;
   CFIndex i;
-  CFStringRef common_name;
 
   /* SecItemCopyMatching() was introduced in iOS and Snow Leopard.
      kSecClassIdentity was introduced in Lion. If both exist, let's use them
@@ -1134,6 +1133,7 @@ static OSStatus CopyIdentityWithLabel(char *label,
           (SecIdentityRef) CFArrayGetValueAtIndex(keys_list, i);
         err = SecIdentityCopyCertificate(identity, &cert);
         if(err == noErr) {
+          CFStringRef common_name = NULL;
           OSStatus copy_status = noErr;
 #if CURL_BUILD_IOS
           common_name = SecCertificateCopySubjectSummary(cert);
@@ -1149,7 +1149,8 @@ static OSStatus CopyIdentityWithLabel(char *label,
             status = noErr;
             break;
           }
-          CFRelease(common_name);
+          if(common_name)
+            CFRelease(common_name);
         }
         CFRelease(cert);
       }