diff --git a/changes/ticket40966 b/changes/ticket40966
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..04fb3caded
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/ticket40966
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+  o Minor bugfixes (memleak, authority):
+    - Fix a small memleak when computing a new consensus. This only affects
+      directory authorities. Fixes bug 40966; bugfix on 0.3.5.1-alpha.
diff --git a/src/feature/dirauth/dirvote.c b/src/feature/dirauth/dirvote.c
index 1386d75e0f..42c0802433 100644
--- a/src/feature/dirauth/dirvote.c
+++ b/src/feature/dirauth/dirvote.c
@@ -3490,8 +3490,10 @@ dirvote_compute_consensuses(void)
       {
         char *filename;
         tor_asprintf(&filename, "my-consensus-%s", flavor_name);
-        write_str_to_file(get_datadir_fname(filename), consensus_body, 0);
+        char *fpath = get_datadir_fname(filename);
+        write_str_to_file(fpath, consensus_body, 0);
         tor_free(filename);
+        tor_free(fpath);
       }
 
       consensus_body = NULL;