diff --git a/libavcodec/libmp3lame.c b/libavcodec/libmp3lame.c
index 26e58baa3d..e119189f2a 100644
--- a/libavcodec/libmp3lame.c
+++ b/libavcodec/libmp3lame.c
@@ -280,17 +280,14 @@ static int mp3lame_encode_frame(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVPacket *avpkt,
         // Check if subtraction resulted in an overflow
         if ((discard_padding < avctx->frame_size) != (avpkt->duration > 0)) {
             av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "discard padding overflow\n");
-            av_packet_unref(avpkt);
             return AVERROR(EINVAL);
         }
         if ((!s->delay_sent && avctx->initial_padding > 0) || discard_padding > 0) {
             uint8_t* side_data = av_packet_new_side_data(avpkt,
                                                          AV_PKT_DATA_SKIP_SAMPLES,
                                                          10);
-            if(!side_data) {
-                av_packet_unref(avpkt);
+            if (!side_data)
                 return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
-            }
             if (!s->delay_sent) {
                 AV_WL32(side_data, avctx->initial_padding);
                 s->delay_sent = 1;