diff --git a/src/ex_getln.c b/src/ex_getln.c
index 1b3a699..b4c7941 100644
--- a/src/ex_getln.c
+++ b/src/ex_getln.c
@@ -3330,7 +3330,6 @@
     // there, thus copy up to the NUL and add a NUL.
     mch_memmove(ccline.cmdbuff, p, (size_t)ccline.cmdlen);
     ccline.cmdbuff[ccline.cmdlen] = NUL;
-    vim_free(p);
 
     if (ccline.xpc != NULL
 	    && ccline.xpc->xp_pattern != NULL
@@ -3345,6 +3344,8 @@
 	    ccline.xpc->xp_pattern = ccline.cmdbuff + i;
     }
 
+    vim_free(p);
+
     return OK;
 }