diff --git a/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c b/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c
index 92267396ff40..781d95113742 100644
--- a/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c
+++ b/drivers/tty/vt/vt.c
@@ -865,7 +865,7 @@ static int vc_do_resize(struct tty_struct *tty, struct vc_data *vc,
 	unsigned int old_rows, old_row_size;
 	unsigned int new_cols, new_rows, new_row_size, new_screen_size;
 	unsigned int user;
-	unsigned short *newscreen;
+	unsigned short *oldscreen, *newscreen;
 
 	WARN_CONSOLE_UNLOCKED();
 
@@ -947,10 +947,11 @@ static int vc_do_resize(struct tty_struct *tty, struct vc_data *vc,
 	if (new_scr_end > new_origin)
 		scr_memsetw((void *)new_origin, vc->vc_video_erase_char,
 			    new_scr_end - new_origin);
-	kfree(vc->vc_screenbuf);
+	oldscreen = vc->vc_screenbuf;
 	vc->vc_screenbuf = newscreen;
 	vc->vc_screenbuf_size = new_screen_size;
 	set_origin(vc);
+	kfree(oldscreen);
 
 	/* do part of a reset_terminal() */
 	vc->vc_top = 0;