diff --git a/src/eval.c b/src/eval.c
index b4593ba..6522f0f 100644
--- a/src/eval.c
+++ b/src/eval.c
@@ -1815,8 +1815,10 @@
 	tv.v_lock = VAR_FIXED;
 	tv.vval.v_string = vim_strnsave(fi->fi_string + fi->fi_byte_idx, len);
 	fi->fi_byte_idx += len;
-	return ex_let_vars(arg, &tv, TRUE, fi->fi_semicolon,
+	result = ex_let_vars(arg, &tv, TRUE, fi->fi_semicolon,
 					    fi->fi_varcount, flag, NULL) == OK;
+	vim_free(tv.vval.v_string);
+	return result;
     }
 
     item = fi->fi_lw.lw_item;