diff --git a/libmariadb/mariadb_rpl.c b/libmariadb/mariadb_rpl.c
index be387eb0..23ca4635 100644
--- a/libmariadb/mariadb_rpl.c
+++ b/libmariadb/mariadb_rpl.c
@@ -488,8 +488,7 @@ MARIADB_RPL_EVENT * STDCALL mariadb_rpl_fetch(MARIADB_RPL *rpl, MARIADB_RPL_EVEN
       }
       break;
     default:
-      mariadb_free_rpl_event(rpl_event);
-      return NULL;
+      return rpl_event;
       break;
     }