diff --git a/libavcodec/videotoolboxenc.c b/libavcodec/videotoolboxenc.c
index ec445de7c2..400401550a 100644
--- a/libavcodec/videotoolboxenc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/videotoolboxenc.c
@@ -573,7 +573,6 @@ static void vtenc_output_callback(
     ExtraSEI *sei = sourceFrameCtx;
 
     if (vtctx->async_error) {
-        if(sample_buffer) CFRelease(sample_buffer);
         return;
     }