diff --git a/trace.c b/trace.c
index 9784915be1..7f3b08e148 100644
--- a/trace.c
+++ b/trace.c
@@ -131,7 +131,6 @@ static void print_trace_line(struct trace_key *key, struct strbuf *buf)
 {
 	strbuf_complete_line(buf);
 	trace_write(key, buf->buf, buf->len);
-	strbuf_release(buf);
 }
 
 static void trace_vprintf_fl(const char *file, int line, struct trace_key *key,
@@ -144,6 +143,7 @@ static void trace_vprintf_fl(const char *file, int line, struct trace_key *key,
 
 	strbuf_vaddf(&buf, format, ap);
 	print_trace_line(key, &buf);
+	strbuf_release(&buf);
 }
 
 static void trace_argv_vprintf_fl(const char *file, int line,
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ static void trace_argv_vprintf_fl(const char *file, int line,
 
 	sq_quote_argv_pretty(&buf, argv);
 	print_trace_line(&trace_default_key, &buf);
+	strbuf_release(&buf);
 }
 
 void trace_strbuf_fl(const char *file, int line, struct trace_key *key,
@@ -171,6 +172,7 @@ void trace_strbuf_fl(const char *file, int line, struct trace_key *key,
 
 	strbuf_addbuf(&buf, data);
 	print_trace_line(key, &buf);
+	strbuf_release(&buf);
 }
 
 static void trace_performance_vprintf_fl(const char *file, int line,
@@ -190,6 +192,7 @@ static void trace_performance_vprintf_fl(const char *file, int line,
 	}
 
 	print_trace_line(&trace_perf_key, &buf);
+	strbuf_release(&buf);
 }
 
 #ifndef HAVE_VARIADIC_MACROS