diff --git a/src/journal-remote/journal-upload.c b/src/journal-remote/journal-upload.c
index 7f08809c54..fd282ca19c 100644
--- a/src/journal-remote/journal-upload.c
+++ b/src/journal-remote/journal-upload.c
@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@ static int open_journal(sd_journal **j) {
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {
-        Uploader u;
+        _cleanup_(destroy_uploader) Uploader u = {};
         int r;
         bool use_journal;
 
@@ -853,8 +853,6 @@ cleanup:
                   "STOPPING=1\n"
                   "STATUS=Shutting down...");
 
-        destroy_uploader(&u);
-
 finish:
         return r >= 0 ? EXIT_SUCCESS : EXIT_FAILURE;
 }