diff --git a/drivers/staging/r8188eu/core/rtw_mlme.c b/drivers/staging/r8188eu/core/rtw_mlme.c
index 4ffed8a35054..e3d5a721d25c 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/r8188eu/core/rtw_mlme.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/r8188eu/core/rtw_mlme.c
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ static void rtw_free_mlme_ie_data(u8 **ppie, u32 *plen)
 
 void rtw_free_mlme_priv_ie_data(struct mlme_priv *pmlmepriv)
 {
-	rtw_buf_free(&pmlmepriv->assoc_req, &pmlmepriv->assoc_req_len);
-	rtw_buf_free(&pmlmepriv->assoc_rsp, &pmlmepriv->assoc_rsp_len);
+	kfree(pmlmepriv->assoc_req);
+	kfree(pmlmepriv->assoc_rsp);
 	rtw_free_mlme_ie_data(&pmlmepriv->wps_beacon_ie, &pmlmepriv->wps_beacon_ie_len);
 	rtw_free_mlme_ie_data(&pmlmepriv->wps_probe_req_ie, &pmlmepriv->wps_probe_req_ie_len);
 	rtw_free_mlme_ie_data(&pmlmepriv->wps_probe_resp_ie, &pmlmepriv->wps_probe_resp_ie_len);
diff --git a/drivers/staging/r8188eu/core/rtw_mlme_ext.c b/drivers/staging/r8188eu/core/rtw_mlme_ext.c
index a8ed4e1a0278..470c338b44e1 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/r8188eu/core/rtw_mlme_ext.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/r8188eu/core/rtw_mlme_ext.c
@@ -1519,11 +1519,10 @@ unsigned int OnAssocRsp(struct adapter *padapter, struct recv_frame *precv_frame
 	UpdateBrateTbl(padapter, pmlmeinfo->network.SupportedRates);
 
 report_assoc_result:
-	if (res > 0) {
+	if (res > 0)
 		rtw_buf_update(&pmlmepriv->assoc_rsp, &pmlmepriv->assoc_rsp_len, pframe, pkt_len);
-	} else {
-		rtw_buf_free(&pmlmepriv->assoc_rsp, &pmlmepriv->assoc_rsp_len);
-	}
+	else
+		kfree(pmlmepriv->assoc_rsp);
 
 	report_join_res(padapter, res);
 
@@ -5534,7 +5533,7 @@ void issue_assocreq(struct adapter *padapter)
 	if (ret == _SUCCESS)
 		rtw_buf_update(&pmlmepriv->assoc_req, &pmlmepriv->assoc_req_len, (u8 *)pwlanhdr, pattrib->pktlen);
 	else
-		rtw_buf_free(&pmlmepriv->assoc_req, &pmlmepriv->assoc_req_len);
+		kfree(pmlmepriv->assoc_req);
 }
 
 /* when wait_ack is ture, this function shoule be called at process context */
diff --git a/drivers/staging/r8188eu/include/osdep_service.h b/drivers/staging/r8188eu/include/osdep_service.h
index cb876b50d68c..10f0203fd905 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/r8188eu/include/osdep_service.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/r8188eu/include/osdep_service.h
@@ -370,7 +370,6 @@ void rtw_free_netdev(struct net_device *netdev);
 		(a)[3] = (u8) (((u32) (val)) & 0xff);		\
 	} while (0)
 
-void rtw_buf_free(u8 **buf, u32 *buf_len);
 void rtw_buf_update(u8 **buf, u32 *buf_len, u8 *src, u32 src_len);
 
 struct rtw_cbuf {
diff --git a/drivers/staging/r8188eu/os_dep/osdep_service.c b/drivers/staging/r8188eu/os_dep/osdep_service.c
index db6ee1dca48e..232d3a337be4 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/r8188eu/os_dep/osdep_service.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/r8188eu/os_dep/osdep_service.c
@@ -283,13 +283,6 @@ int rtw_change_ifname(struct adapter *padapter, const char *ifname)
 	return -1;
 }
 
-void rtw_buf_free(u8 **buf, u32 *buf_len)
-{
-	*buf_len = 0;
-	kfree(*buf);
-	*buf = NULL;
-}
-
 void rtw_buf_update(u8 **buf, u32 *buf_len, u8 *src, u32 src_len)
 {
 	u32 dup_len = 0;