diff --git a/src/output-json.c b/src/output-json.c
index 8353877755..7e55ba0385 100644
--- a/src/output-json.c
+++ b/src/output-json.c
@@ -1198,6 +1198,7 @@ OutputInitResult OutputJsonInitCtx(ConfNode *conf)
                 LogFileFreeCtx(json_ctx->file_ctx);
                 SCFree(json_ctx);
                 SCFree(output_ctx);
+                return result;
             } else {
                 json_ctx->file_ctx->plugin = json_ctx->plugin;
                 json_ctx->file_ctx->plugin_data = plugin_data;