diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-bus/bus-match.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-bus/bus-match.c
index db8da6ee12..2a3e7039a7 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-bus/bus-match.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-bus/bus-match.c
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ fail:
 }
 
 char *bus_match_to_string(struct bus_match_component *components, unsigned n_components) {
-        char *buffer = NULL;
+        _cleanup_free_ char *buffer = NULL;
         size_t size = 0;
         int r;
 
@@ -855,7 +855,7 @@ char *bus_match_to_string(struct bus_match_component *components, unsigned n_com
 
         assert(components);
 
-        _cleanup_fclose_ FILE *f = open_memstream_unlocked(&buffer, &size);
+        FILE *f = open_memstream_unlocked(&buffer, &size);
         if (!f)
                 return NULL;
 
@@ -878,10 +878,10 @@ char *bus_match_to_string(struct bus_match_component *components, unsigned n_com
         }
 
         r = fflush_and_check(f);
+        safe_fclose(f);
         if (r < 0)
                 return NULL;
-
-        return buffer;
+        return TAKE_PTR(buffer);
 }
 
 int bus_match_add(