diff --git a/src/basic/user-util.c b/src/basic/user-util.c
index 68c6dd0da7..6d22fe31c3 100644
--- a/src/basic/user-util.c
+++ b/src/basic/user-util.c
@@ -496,11 +496,9 @@ int getgroups_alloc(gid_t** gids) {
 
                 free(allocated);
 
-                allocated = new(gid_t, ngroups);
+                p = allocated = new(gid_t, ngroups);
                 if (!allocated)
                         return -ENOMEM;
-
-                p = allocated;
         }
 
         *gids = TAKE_PTR(p);