diff --git a/samples/damon/prcl.c b/samples/damon/prcl.c
index b7c50f2656ce..0db259894691 100644
--- a/samples/damon/prcl.c
+++ b/samples/damon/prcl.c
@@ -106,8 +106,10 @@ static int damon_sample_prcl_start(void)
 	damon_set_schemes(ctx, &scheme, 1);
 
 	err = damon_start(&ctx, 1, true);
-	if (err)
+	if (err) {
+		damon_destroy_ctx(ctx);
 		return err;
+	}
 
 	repeat_call_control.data = ctx;
 	return damon_call(ctx, &repeat_call_control);