diff --git a/src/avrdude.h b/src/avrdude.h
index c679a654..6b777d30 100644
--- a/src/avrdude.h
+++ b/src/avrdude.h
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ extern const char *pgmid;    // Programmer -c string
 #define mmt_strdup(s) cfg_strdup(__func__, s)
 #define mmt_malloc(n) cfg_malloc(__func__, n)
 #define mmt_realloc(p, n) cfg_realloc(__func__, p, n)
+#define mmt_free(p) free(p)
 
 int avrdude_message2(FILE *fp, int lno, const char *file, const char *func, int msgmode, int msglvl, const char *format, ...);
 
diff --git a/src/usbtiny.c b/src/usbtiny.c
index 952c4c25..ca319cf6 100644
--- a/src/usbtiny.c
+++ b/src/usbtiny.c
@@ -76,18 +76,12 @@ struct pdata
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-static void usbtiny_setup(PROGRAMMER * pgm)
-{
-  if ((pgm->cookie = malloc(sizeof(struct pdata))) == 0) {
-    pmsg_error("out of memory allocating private data\n");
-    exit(1);
-  }
-  memset(pgm->cookie, 0, sizeof(struct pdata));
+static void usbtiny_setup(PROGRAMMER *pgm) {
+  pgm->cookie = mmt_malloc(sizeof(struct pdata));
 }
 
-static void usbtiny_teardown(PROGRAMMER * pgm)
-{
-  free(pgm->cookie);
+static void usbtiny_teardown(PROGRAMMER *pgm) {
+  mmt_free(pgm->cookie);
 }
 
 // Wrapper for simple usb_control_msg messages