diff a/src/hotspot/os/linux/perfMemory_linux.cpp b/src/hotspot/os/linux/perfMemory_linux.cpp
--- a/src/hotspot/os/linux/perfMemory_linux.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/os/linux/perfMemory_linux.cpp
@@ -627,11 +627,11 @@
         if (statbuf.st_size > 0 && statbuf.st_ctime > oldest_ctime) {
 
           if (statbuf.st_ctime > oldest_ctime) {
             char* user = strchr(dentry->d_name, '_') + 1;
 
-            if (oldest_user != NULL) FREE_C_HEAP_ARRAY(char, oldest_user);
+            FREE_C_HEAP_ARRAY(char, oldest_user);
             oldest_user = NEW_C_HEAP_ARRAY(char, strlen(user)+1, mtInternal);
 
             strcpy(oldest_user, user);
             oldest_ctime = statbuf.st_ctime;
           }