diff --git a/src/channel.c b/src/channel.c
index fc6a7a3..cd791b5 100644
--- a/src/channel.c
+++ b/src/channel.c
@@ -5818,9 +5818,9 @@
     char_u	*cmd = NULL;
     char	**argv = NULL;
     int		argc = 0;
+    int		i;
 #if defined(UNIX)
 # define USE_ARGV
-    int		i;
 #else
     garray_T	ga;
 #endif
@@ -5994,7 +5994,11 @@
     vim_free(ga.ga_data);
 #endif
     if (argv != job->jv_argv)
+    {
+	for (i = 0; argv[i] != NULL; i++)
+	    vim_free(argv[i]);
 	vim_free(argv);
+    }
     free_job_options(&opt);
     return job;
 }
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_channel.vim b/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
index 4dac7aa..dace45b 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_channel.vim
@@ -1977,3 +1977,8 @@
   call assert_match("%s%s", text[2])
   call delete('Xlog')
 endfunc
+
+func Test_job_start_fails()
+  " this was leaking memory
+  call assert_fails("call job_start([''])", "E474:")
+endfunc
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 6a1702e..ec77e87 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -743,6 +743,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    138,
+/**/
     137,
 /**/
     136,