diff --git a/src/alloc.c b/src/alloc.c
index 3651a2e..e3cd857 100644
--- a/src/alloc.c
+++ b/src/alloc.c
@@ -702,7 +702,7 @@
 }
 
     void
-ga_init2(garray_T *gap, int itemsize, int growsize)
+ga_init2(garray_T *gap, size_t itemsize, int growsize)
 {
     ga_init(gap);
     gap->ga_itemsize = itemsize;
@@ -789,7 +789,7 @@
  * When out of memory nothing changes and FAIL is returned.
  */
     int
-ga_add_string(garray_T *gap, char_u *p)
+ga_copy_string(garray_T *gap, char_u *p)
 {
     char_u *cp = vim_strsave(p);
 
@@ -806,6 +806,19 @@
 }
 
 /*
+ * Add string "p" to "gap".
+ * When out of memory "p" is freed and FAIL is returned.
+ */
+    int
+ga_add_string(garray_T *gap, char_u *p)
+{
+    if (ga_grow(gap, 1) == FAIL)
+	return FAIL;
+    ((char_u **)(gap->ga_data))[gap->ga_len++] = p;
+    return OK;
+}
+
+/*
  * Concatenate a string to a growarray which contains bytes.
  * When "s" is NULL does not do anything.
  * Note: Does NOT copy the NUL at the end!
diff --git a/src/message.c b/src/message.c
index 17c541f..04a51fb 100644
--- a/src/message.c
+++ b/src/message.c
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@
     if (STRCMP("RESET", error) == 0)
 	ga_clear_strings(&ignore_error_list);
     else
-	ga_add_string(&ignore_error_list, error);
+	ga_copy_string(&ignore_error_list, error);
 }
 
     static int
diff --git a/src/proto/alloc.pro b/src/proto/alloc.pro
index 2069ca8..18281ad 100644
--- a/src/proto/alloc.pro
+++ b/src/proto/alloc.pro
@@ -17,10 +17,11 @@
 void ga_clear_strings(garray_T *gap);
 int ga_copy_strings(garray_T *from, garray_T *to);
 void ga_init(garray_T *gap);
-void ga_init2(garray_T *gap, int itemsize, int growsize);
+void ga_init2(garray_T *gap, size_t itemsize, int growsize);
 int ga_grow(garray_T *gap, int n);
 int ga_grow_inner(garray_T *gap, int n);
 char_u *ga_concat_strings(garray_T *gap, char *sep);
+int ga_copy_string(garray_T *gap, char_u *p);
 int ga_add_string(garray_T *gap, char_u *p);
 void ga_concat(garray_T *gap, char_u *s);
 void ga_concat_len(garray_T *gap, char_u *s, size_t len);
diff --git a/src/proto/userfunc.pro b/src/proto/userfunc.pro
index 311cee2..6b054ff 100644
--- a/src/proto/userfunc.pro
+++ b/src/proto/userfunc.pro
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 char_u *get_scriptlocal_funcname(char_u *funcname);
 char_u *save_function_name(char_u **name, int *is_global, int skip, int flags, funcdict_T *fudi);
 void list_functions(regmatch_T *regmatch);
-ufunc_T *define_function(exarg_T *eap, char_u *name_arg, char_u **line_to_free);
+ufunc_T *define_function(exarg_T *eap, char_u *name_arg, garray_T *lines_to_free);
 void ex_function(exarg_T *eap);
 void ex_defcompile(exarg_T *eap);
 int eval_fname_script(char_u *p);
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_vim9_func.vim b/src/testdir/test_vim9_func.vim
index 9e420ad..75d0dd0 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_vim9_func.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_vim9_func.vim
@@ -1757,6 +1757,21 @@
   CheckScriptFailure(lines, 'E1173: Text found after endfunction: BBBB')
 enddef
 
+def Test_error_in_function_args()
+  var lines =<< trim END
+      def FirstFunction()
+        def SecondFunction(J  =
+        # Nois
+        # one
+         
+         enddef|BBBB
+      enddef
+      # Compile all functions
+      defcompile
+  END
+  CheckScriptFailure(lines, 'E488:')
+enddef
+
 def Test_return_type_wrong()
   CheckScriptFailure([
         'def Func(): number',
@@ -2048,7 +2063,6 @@
 endfunc
 
 def Run_Test_free_dict_while_in_funcstack()
-
   # this was freeing the TermRun() default argument dictionary while it was
   # still referenced in a funcstack_T
   var lines =<< trim END
diff --git a/src/usercmd.c b/src/usercmd.c
index de985f8..40790a1 100644
--- a/src/usercmd.c
+++ b/src/usercmd.c
@@ -1021,7 +1021,7 @@
 	char_u	    *line = NULL;
 
 	ga_init2(&ga, sizeof(char_u *), 10);
-	if (ga_add_string(&ga, p) == FAIL)
+	if (ga_copy_string(&ga, p) == FAIL)
 	    return retp;
 
 	// If the argument ends in "}" it must have been concatenated already
@@ -1038,7 +1038,7 @@
 		    emsg(_(e_missing_rcurly));
 		    break;
 		}
-		if (ga_add_string(&ga, line) == FAIL)
+		if (ga_copy_string(&ga, line) == FAIL)
 		    break;
 		if (*skipwhite(line) == '}')
 		    break;
diff --git a/src/userfunc.c b/src/userfunc.c
index 3617e7b..020d1bc 100644
--- a/src/userfunc.c
+++ b/src/userfunc.c
@@ -166,13 +166,13 @@
 
 /*
  * Handle line continuation in function arguments or body.
- * Get a next line, store it in "eap" if appropriate and use "line_to_free" to
- * handle freeing the line later.
+ * Get a next line, store it in "eap" if appropriate and put the line in
+ * "lines_to_free" to free the line later.
  */
     static char_u *
 get_function_line(
 	exarg_T		*eap,
-	char_u		**line_to_free,
+	garray_T	*lines_to_free,
 	int		indent,
 	getline_opt_T	getline_options)
 {
@@ -184,10 +184,11 @@
 	theline = eap->getline(':', eap->cookie, indent, getline_options);
     if (theline != NULL)
     {
-	if (*eap->cmdlinep == *line_to_free)
+	if (lines_to_free->ga_len > 0
+		&& *eap->cmdlinep == ((char_u **)lines_to_free->ga_data)
+						   [lines_to_free->ga_len - 1])
 	    *eap->cmdlinep = theline;
-	vim_free(*line_to_free);
-	*line_to_free = theline;
+	ga_add_string(lines_to_free, theline);
     }
 
     return theline;
@@ -210,7 +211,7 @@
     garray_T	*default_args,
     int		skip,
     exarg_T	*eap,
-    char_u	**line_to_free)
+    garray_T	*lines_to_free)
 {
     int		mustend = FALSE;
     char_u	*arg;
@@ -241,7 +242,7 @@
 			 && (*p == NUL || (VIM_ISWHITE(*whitep) && *p == '#')))
 	{
 	    // End of the line, get the next one.
-	    char_u *theline = get_function_line(eap, line_to_free, 0,
+	    char_u *theline = get_function_line(eap, lines_to_free, 0,
 							  GETLINE_CONCAT_CONT);
 
 	    if (theline == NULL)
@@ -677,7 +678,7 @@
 	exarg_T	    *eap,
 	garray_T    *newlines,
 	char_u	    *line_arg_in,
-	char_u	    **line_to_free)
+	garray_T    *lines_to_free)
 {
     linenr_T	sourcing_lnum_top = SOURCING_LNUM;
     linenr_T	sourcing_lnum_off;
@@ -744,7 +745,7 @@
 	}
 	else
 	{
-	    theline = get_function_line(eap, line_to_free, indent,
+	    theline = get_function_line(eap, lines_to_free, indent,
 							      getline_options);
 	}
 	if (KeyTyped)
@@ -854,14 +855,20 @@
 		    {
 			// Another command follows. If the line came from "eap"
 			// we can simply point into it, otherwise we need to
-			// change "eap->cmdlinep".
+			// change "eap->cmdlinep" to point to the last fetched
+			// line.
 			eap->nextcmd = nextcmd;
-			if (*line_to_free != NULL
-					    && *eap->cmdlinep != *line_to_free)
+			if (lines_to_free->ga_len > 0
+				&& *eap->cmdlinep !=
+					    ((char_u **)lines_to_free->ga_data)
+						   [lines_to_free->ga_len - 1])
 			{
+			    // *cmdlinep will be freed later, thus remove the
+			    // line from lines_to_free.
 			    vim_free(*eap->cmdlinep);
-			    *eap->cmdlinep = *line_to_free;
-			    *line_to_free = NULL;
+			    *eap->cmdlinep = ((char_u **)lines_to_free->ga_data)
+						   [lines_to_free->ga_len - 1];
+			    --lines_to_free->ga_len;
 			}
 		    }
 		    break;
@@ -1118,7 +1125,6 @@
     garray_T	newlines;
     char_u	*cmdline = NULL;
     int		ret = FAIL;
-    char_u	*line_to_free = NULL;
     partial_T	*pt;
     char_u	*name;
     int		lnum_save = -1;
@@ -1144,12 +1150,9 @@
     }
 
     ga_init2(&newlines, (int)sizeof(char_u *), 10);
-    if (get_function_body(&eap, &newlines, NULL, &line_to_free) == FAIL)
-    {
-	if (cmdline != line_to_free)
-	    vim_free(cmdline);
+    if (get_function_body(&eap, &newlines, NULL,
+					     &evalarg->eval_tofree_ga) == FAIL)
 	goto erret;
-    }
 
     // When inside a lambda must add the function lines to evalarg.eval_ga.
     evalarg->eval_break_count += newlines.ga_len;
@@ -1208,8 +1211,6 @@
 	{
 	    ((char_u **)(tfgap->ga_data))[tfgap->ga_len++] = cmdline;
 	    evalarg->eval_using_cmdline = TRUE;
-	    if (cmdline == line_to_free)
-		line_to_free = NULL;
 	}
     }
     else
@@ -1278,7 +1279,6 @@
 erret:
     if (lnum_save >= 0)
 	SOURCING_LNUM = lnum_save;
-    vim_free(line_to_free);
     ga_clear_strings(&newlines);
     if (newargs != NULL)
 	ga_clear_strings(newargs);
@@ -3957,10 +3957,11 @@
  * ":function" also supporting nested ":def".
  * When "name_arg" is not NULL this is a nested function, using "name_arg" for
  * the function name.
+ * "lines_to_free" is a list of strings to be freed later.
  * Returns a pointer to the function or NULL if no function defined.
  */
     ufunc_T *
-define_function(exarg_T *eap, char_u *name_arg, char_u **line_to_free)
+define_function(exarg_T *eap, char_u *name_arg, garray_T *lines_to_free)
 {
     int		j;
     int		c;
@@ -4229,7 +4230,7 @@
     if (get_function_args(&p, ')', &newargs,
 			eap->cmdidx == CMD_def ? &argtypes : NULL, FALSE,
 			 NULL, &varargs, &default_args, eap->skip,
-			 eap, line_to_free) == FAIL)
+			 eap, lines_to_free) == FAIL)
 	goto errret_2;
     whitep = p;
 
@@ -4339,7 +4340,7 @@
 
     // Do not define the function when getting the body fails and when
     // skipping.
-    if (get_function_body(eap, &newlines, line_arg, line_to_free) == FAIL
+    if (get_function_body(eap, &newlines, line_arg, lines_to_free) == FAIL
 	    || eap->skip)
 	goto erret;
 
@@ -4645,10 +4646,11 @@
     void
 ex_function(exarg_T *eap)
 {
-    char_u *line_to_free = NULL;
+    garray_T lines_to_free;
 
-    (void)define_function(eap, NULL, &line_to_free);
-    vim_free(line_to_free);
+    ga_init2(&lines_to_free, sizeof(char_u *), 50);
+    (void)define_function(eap, NULL, &lines_to_free);
+    ga_clear_strings(&lines_to_free);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 542227c..9e4ae19 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -751,6 +751,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    4040,
+/**/
     4039,
 /**/
     4038,
diff --git a/src/vim9compile.c b/src/vim9compile.c
index 5af30fd..90d7adb 100644
--- a/src/vim9compile.c
+++ b/src/vim9compile.c
@@ -810,7 +810,7 @@
  * Compile a nested :def command.
  */
     static char_u *
-compile_nested_function(exarg_T *eap, cctx_T *cctx, char_u **line_to_free)
+compile_nested_function(exarg_T *eap, cctx_T *cctx, garray_T *lines_to_free)
 {
     int		is_global = *eap->arg == 'g' && eap->arg[1] == ':';
     char_u	*name_start = eap->arg;
@@ -876,7 +876,7 @@
 	goto theend;
     }
 
-    ufunc = define_function(eap, lambda_name, line_to_free);
+    ufunc = define_function(eap, lambda_name, lines_to_free);
     if (ufunc == NULL)
     {
 	r = eap->skip ? OK : FAIL;
@@ -2496,7 +2496,7 @@
 	cctx_T		*outer_cctx)
 {
     char_u	*line = NULL;
-    char_u	*line_to_free = NULL;
+    garray_T	lines_to_free;
     char_u	*p;
     char	*errormsg = NULL;	// error message
     cctx_T	cctx;
@@ -2514,6 +2514,9 @@
 #endif
     int		debug_lnum = -1;
 
+    // allocated lines are freed at the end
+    ga_init2(&lines_to_free, sizeof(char_u *), 50);
+
     // When using a function that was compiled before: Free old instructions.
     // The index is reused.  Otherwise add a new entry in "def_functions".
     if (ufunc->uf_dfunc_idx > 0)
@@ -2681,8 +2684,8 @@
 	    if (line != NULL)
 	    {
 		line = vim_strsave(line);
-		vim_free(line_to_free);
-		line_to_free = line;
+		if (ga_add_string(&lines_to_free, line) == FAIL)
+		    goto erret;
 	    }
 	}
 
@@ -2926,7 +2929,7 @@
 	    case CMD_def:
 	    case CMD_function:
 		    ea.arg = p;
-		    line = compile_nested_function(&ea, &cctx, &line_to_free);
+		    line = compile_nested_function(&ea, &cctx, &lines_to_free);
 		    break;
 
 	    case CMD_return:
@@ -3236,7 +3239,7 @@
     if (do_estack_push)
 	estack_pop();
 
-    vim_free(line_to_free);
+    ga_clear_strings(&lines_to_free);
     free_imported(&cctx);
     free_locals(&cctx);
     ga_clear(&cctx.ctx_type_stack);
diff --git a/src/viminfo.c b/src/viminfo.c
index 3f9e5f3..ac0d385 100644
--- a/src/viminfo.c
+++ b/src/viminfo.c
@@ -2730,7 +2730,7 @@
     {
 	// Continuation line of an unrecognized item.
 	if (writing)
-	    ga_add_string(&virp->vir_barlines, virp->vir_line);
+	    ga_copy_string(&virp->vir_barlines, virp->vir_line);
     }
     else
     {
@@ -2769,7 +2769,7 @@
 	    default:
 		// copy unrecognized line (for future use)
 		if (writing)
-		    ga_add_string(&virp->vir_barlines, virp->vir_line);
+		    ga_copy_string(&virp->vir_barlines, virp->vir_line);
 	}
 	for (i = 0; i < values.ga_len; ++i)
 	{