diff --git a/builtin/fsck.c b/builtin/fsck.c
index 1a023914a7..97c7322c67 100644
--- a/builtin/fsck.c
+++ b/builtin/fsck.c
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ static int fsck_loose(const struct object_id *oid, const char *path, void *data)
 	struct object *obj;
 	enum object_type type = OBJ_NONE;
 	unsigned long size;
-	void *contents;
+	void *contents = NULL;
 	int eaten;
 	struct object_info oi = OBJECT_INFO_INIT;
 	struct object_id real_oid = *null_oid();
@@ -629,6 +629,7 @@ static int fsck_loose(const struct object_id *oid, const char *path, void *data)
 			    path);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		errors_found |= ERROR_OBJECT;
+		free(contents);
 		return 0; /* keep checking other objects */
 	}
 
diff --git a/object-file.c b/object-file.c
index 9213a51721..ac3b7a61a1 100644
--- a/object-file.c
+++ b/object-file.c
@@ -2533,8 +2533,6 @@ int read_loose_object(const char *path,
 	char hdr[MAX_HEADER_LEN];
 	unsigned long *size = oi->sizep;
 
-	*contents = NULL;
-
 	map = map_loose_object_1(the_repository, path, NULL, &mapsize);
 	if (!map) {
 		error_errno(_("unable to mmap %s"), path);
@@ -2564,10 +2562,9 @@ int read_loose_object(const char *path,
 			goto out;
 		}
 		if (check_object_signature(the_repository, expected_oid,
-					   *contents, *size, oi->type_name->buf, real_oid)) {
-			free(*contents);
+					   *contents, *size,
+					   oi->type_name->buf, real_oid))
 			goto out;
-		}
 	}
 
 	ret = 0; /* everything checks out */