diff --git a/drivers/i2s/i2s_common.c b/drivers/i2s/i2s_common.c
index 2c2fe884b022..a9eb676ad109 100644
--- a/drivers/i2s/i2s_common.c
+++ b/drivers/i2s/i2s_common.c
@@ -48,5 +48,10 @@ int _impl_i2s_buf_write(struct device *dev, void *buf, size_t size)
 
 	memcpy(mem_block, (void *)buf, size);
 
-	return i2s_write((struct device *)dev, mem_block, size);
+	ret = i2s_write((struct device *)dev, mem_block, size);
+	if (ret != 0) {
+		k_mem_slab_free(tx_cfg->mem_slab, &mem_block);
+	}
+
+	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/i2s/i2s_handlers.c b/drivers/i2s/i2s_handlers.c
index 063024a7c75e..1fb3fbea109c 100644
--- a/drivers/i2s/i2s_handlers.c
+++ b/drivers/i2s/i2s_handlers.c
@@ -98,7 +98,12 @@ Z_SYSCALL_HANDLER(i2s_buf_write, dev, buf, size)
 		Z_OOPS(ret);
 	}
 
-	return i2s_write((struct device *)dev, mem_block, size);
+	ret = i2s_write((struct device *)dev, mem_block, size);
+	if (ret != 0) {
+		k_mem_slab_free(tx_cfg->mem_slab, &mem_block);
+	}
+
+	return ret;
 }
 
 Z_SYSCALL_HANDLER(i2s_trigger, dev, dir, cmd)