diff --git a/lib/event/app.c b/lib/event/app.c
index cba61163e..86b735bc3 100644
--- a/lib/event/app.c
+++ b/lib/event/app.c
@@ -862,6 +862,7 @@ spdk_app_parse_args(int argc, char **argv, struct spdk_app_opts *opts,
 		case PCI_BLACKLIST_OPT_IDX:
 			if (opts->pci_whitelist) {
 				free(opts->pci_whitelist);
+				opts->pci_whitelist = NULL;
 				fprintf(stderr, "-B and -W cannot be used at the same time\n");
 				usage(app_usage);
 				goto out;
@@ -870,6 +871,7 @@ spdk_app_parse_args(int argc, char **argv, struct spdk_app_opts *opts,
 			rc = spdk_app_opts_add_pci_addr(opts, &opts->pci_blacklist, optarg);
 			if (rc != 0) {
 				free(opts->pci_blacklist);
+				opts->pci_blacklist = NULL;
 				goto out;
 			}
 			break;
@@ -895,6 +897,7 @@ spdk_app_parse_args(int argc, char **argv, struct spdk_app_opts *opts,
 		case PCI_WHITELIST_OPT_IDX:
 			if (opts->pci_blacklist) {
 				free(opts->pci_blacklist);
+				opts->pci_blacklist = NULL;
 				fprintf(stderr, "-B and -W cannot be used at the same time\n");
 				usage(app_usage);
 				goto out;
@@ -903,6 +906,7 @@ spdk_app_parse_args(int argc, char **argv, struct spdk_app_opts *opts,
 			rc = spdk_app_opts_add_pci_addr(opts, &opts->pci_whitelist, optarg);
 			if (rc != 0) {
 				free(opts->pci_whitelist);
+				opts->pci_whitelist = NULL;
 				goto out;
 			}
 			break;
@@ -928,6 +932,12 @@ spdk_app_parse_args(int argc, char **argv, struct spdk_app_opts *opts,
 
 	retval = SPDK_APP_PARSE_ARGS_SUCCESS;
 out:
+	if (retval != SPDK_APP_PARSE_ARGS_SUCCESS) {
+		free(opts->pci_blacklist);
+		opts->pci_blacklist = NULL;
+		free(opts->pci_whitelist);
+		opts->pci_whitelist = NULL;
+	}
 	free(cmdline_short_opts);
 	free(cmdline_options);
 	return retval;
diff --git a/test/unit/lib/event/app.c/app_ut.c b/test/unit/lib/event/app.c/app_ut.c
index 4e2dba87a..7d549261a 100644
--- a/test/unit/lib/event/app.c/app_ut.c
+++ b/test/unit/lib/event/app.c/app_ut.c
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ test_spdk_app_parse_args(void)
 
 	/* Specify -B and -W options at the same time. Expected result: FAIL */
 	rc = spdk_app_parse_args(test_argc, invalid_argv_BW, &opts, "", NULL, unittest_parse_args, NULL);
-	CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(rc, SPDK_APP_PARSE_ARGS_FAIL);
+	SPDK_CU_ASSERT_FATAL(rc == SPDK_APP_PARSE_ARGS_FAIL);
 	optind = 1;
 
 	/* Omit necessary argument to option */