diff --git a/ext/exiv2/exiv2.cpp b/ext/exiv2/exiv2.cpp
index ac74818..228678e 100644
--- a/ext/exiv2/exiv2.cpp
+++ b/ext/exiv2/exiv2.cpp
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ extern "C" void Init_exiv2() {
 // Exiv2::Image Methods
 
 static void image_free(Exiv2::Image* image) {
-  delete image;
+  xfree(image);
 }
 
 static VALUE image_read_metadata(VALUE self) {