diff --git a/src/bin/pg_upgrade/pg_upgrade.c b/src/bin/pg_upgrade/pg_upgrade.c
index 9295e46aed3e..89baec821ec5 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_upgrade/pg_upgrade.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_upgrade/pg_upgrade.c
@@ -441,7 +441,6 @@ set_locale_and_encoding(void)
 	char	   *datcollate_literal;
 	char	   *datctype_literal;
 	char	   *datlocale_literal = NULL;
-	char	   *datlocale_src;
 	DbLocaleInfo *locale = old_cluster.template0;
 
 	prep_status("Setting locale and encoding for new cluster");
@@ -455,10 +454,12 @@ set_locale_and_encoding(void)
 	datctype_literal = PQescapeLiteral(conn_new_template1,
 									   locale->db_ctype,
 									   strlen(locale->db_ctype));
-	datlocale_src = locale->db_locale ? locale->db_locale : "NULL";
-	datlocale_literal = PQescapeLiteral(conn_new_template1,
-										datlocale_src,
-										strlen(datlocale_src));
+	if (locale->db_locale)
+		datlocale_literal = PQescapeLiteral(conn_new_template1,
+											locale->db_locale,
+											strlen(locale->db_locale));
+	else
+		datlocale_literal = pg_strdup("NULL");
 
 	/* update template0 in new cluster */
 	if (GET_MAJOR_VERSION(new_cluster.major_version) >= 1700)
@@ -502,7 +503,10 @@ set_locale_and_encoding(void)
 
 	PQfreemem(datcollate_literal);
 	PQfreemem(datctype_literal);
-	PQfreemem(datlocale_literal);
+	if (locale->db_locale)
+		PQfreemem(datlocale_literal);
+	else
+		pg_free(datlocale_literal);
 
 	PQfinish(conn_new_template1);