diff --git a/lightningd/dual_open_control.c b/lightningd/dual_open_control.c
index 883f8005f..a5b416d19 100644
--- a/lightningd/dual_open_control.c
+++ b/lightningd/dual_open_control.c
@@ -660,9 +660,6 @@ openchannel2_hook_cb(struct openchannel2_payload *payload STEALS)
 	struct channel *channel = payload->channel;
 	u8 *msg;
 
-	/* Free payload regardless of what happens next */
-	tal_steal(tmpctx, payload);
-
 	/* Our daemon died, we fail and try to reconnect */
 	if (!dualopend) {
 		channel_err_broken(channel, "Lost conn to node %s"
@@ -673,6 +670,9 @@ openchannel2_hook_cb(struct openchannel2_payload *payload STEALS)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	/* Free payload regardless of what happens next */
+	tal_steal(tmpctx, payload);
+
 	channel = dualopend->channel;
 
 	/* Channel open is currently in progress elsewhere! */
@@ -716,7 +716,7 @@ openchannel2_hook_deserialize(struct openchannel2_payload *payload,
 
 	/* If our daemon died, we're done */
 	if (!dualopend) {
-		tal_free(payload);
+		openchannel2_hook_cb(payload);
 		return false;
 	}