diff --git a/qemu-img.c b/qemu-img.c
index a7791896c1..7a32d2d16c 100644
--- a/qemu-img.c
+++ b/qemu-img.c
@@ -4597,9 +4597,9 @@ static int img_amend(const img_cmd_t *ccmd, int argc, char **argv)
     amend_opts = qemu_opts_append(amend_opts, bs->drv->amend_opts);
     opts = qemu_opts_create(amend_opts, NULL, 0, &error_abort);
     if (!qemu_opts_do_parse(opts, options, NULL, &err)) {
+        qemu_opts_del(opts);
         /* Try to parse options using the create options */
         amend_opts = qemu_opts_append(amend_opts, bs->drv->create_opts);
-        qemu_opts_del(opts);
         opts = qemu_opts_create(amend_opts, NULL, 0, &error_abort);
         if (qemu_opts_do_parse(opts, options, NULL, NULL)) {
             error_append_hint(&err,