diff --git a/builtin/show-branch.c b/builtin/show-branch.c
index c013abaf94..358ac3e519 100644
--- a/builtin/show-branch.c
+++ b/builtin/show-branch.c
@@ -956,5 +956,6 @@ int cmd_show_branch(int ac, const char **av, const char *prefix)
 		if (shown_merge_point && --extra < 0)
 			break;
 	}
+	free(head);
 	return 0;
 }