diff --git a/builtin/rebase.c b/builtin/rebase.c
index e444ab102d..b9d0fb3269 100644
--- a/builtin/rebase.c
+++ b/builtin/rebase.c
@@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ static int run_am(struct rebase_options *opts)
 		status = error_errno(_("could not open '%s' for writing"),
 				     rebased_patches);
 		free(rebased_patches);
-		strvec_clear(&am.args);
+		child_process_clear(&am);
 		return status;
 	}
 
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@ static int run_am(struct rebase_options *opts)
 		struct reset_head_opts ropts = { 0 };
 		unlink(rebased_patches);
 		free(rebased_patches);
-		strvec_clear(&am.args);
+		child_process_clear(&am);
 
 		ropts.oid = &opts->orig_head->object.oid;
 		ropts.branch = opts->head_name;
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ static int run_am(struct rebase_options *opts)
 		status = error_errno(_("could not open '%s' for reading"),
 				     rebased_patches);
 		free(rebased_patches);
-		strvec_clear(&am.args);
+		child_process_clear(&am);
 		return status;
 	}
 
diff --git a/t/t3438-rebase-broken-files.sh b/t/t3438-rebase-broken-files.sh
index c614c4f2e4..821f08e5af 100755
--- a/t/t3438-rebase-broken-files.sh
+++ b/t/t3438-rebase-broken-files.sh
@@ -58,4 +58,13 @@ test_expect_success 'unknown key in author-script' '
 	check_resolve_fails
 '
 
+test_expect_success POSIXPERM,SANITY 'unwritable rebased-patches does not leak' '
+	>.git/rebased-patches &&
+	chmod a-w .git/rebased-patches &&
+
+	git checkout -b side HEAD^ &&
+	test_commit unrelated &&
+	test_must_fail git rebase --apply --onto tmp HEAD^
+'
+
 test_done