diff --git a/src/vim9compile.c b/src/vim9compile.c
index f02ea60..bfa54fe 100644
--- a/src/vim9compile.c
+++ b/src/vim9compile.c
@@ -4392,7 +4392,10 @@
 	    // eval the next expression
 	    *arg = skipwhite(p + 2);
 	    if (may_get_next_line_error(p + 2, arg, cctx) == FAIL)
+	    {
+		ga_clear(&end_ga);
 		return FAIL;
+	    }
 
 	    if ((opchar == '|' ? compile_expr3(arg, cctx, ppconst)
 				  : compile_expr4(arg, cctx, ppconst)) == FAIL)