diff --git a/src/V3EmitCImp.cpp b/src/V3EmitCImp.cpp
index 55cc93ad0..c6b213240 100644
--- a/src/V3EmitCImp.cpp
+++ b/src/V3EmitCImp.cpp
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ class EmitCImp final : public EmitCFunc {
         } else {
             putns(modp, "void " + modName + "::dtor() {\n");
         }
-        putns(modp, "VL_DO_DANGLING(free(const_cast<char*>(vlNamep)), vlNamep);\n");
+        putns(modp, "VL_DO_DANGLING(std::free(const_cast<char*>(vlNamep)), vlNamep);\n");
         emitSystemCSection(modp, VSystemCSectionType::DTOR);
         puts("}\n");
     }
diff --git a/test_regress/t/t_var_rsvd_port.v b/test_regress/t/t_var_rsvd_port.v
index 5d00596fe..a9d81abe0 100644
--- a/test_regress/t/t_var_rsvd_port.v
+++ b/test_regress/t/t_var_rsvd_port.v
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ module t (/*AUTOARG*/
 
    reg  vector; // OK, as not public
    reg  switch /*verilator public*/;    // Bad
+   reg  free /*verilator public*/;    // OK, not actually a keyword
 
    initial begin
       $write("*-* All Finished *-*\n");