diff --git a/net/ipv4/esp4.c b/net/ipv4/esp4.c
index 20d738137841..28252029bd79 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/esp4.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/esp4.c
@@ -1134,7 +1134,7 @@ static int esp_init_authenc(struct xfrm_state *x)
 	err = crypto_aead_setkey(aead, key, keylen);
 
 free_key:
-	kfree(key);
+	kfree_sensitive(key);
 
 error:
 	return err;