diff --git a/bundle.c b/bundle.c
index 891a3cacda..9a22ab5c02 100644
--- a/bundle.c
+++ b/bundle.c
@@ -210,26 +210,29 @@ static int is_tag_in_date_range(struct object *tag, struct rev_info *revs)
 {
 	unsigned long size;
 	enum object_type type;
-	char *buf, *line, *lineend;
+	char *buf = NULL, *line, *lineend;
 	unsigned long date;
+	int result = 1;
 
 	if (revs->max_age == -1 && revs->min_age == -1)
-		return 1;
+		goto out;
 
 	buf = read_sha1_file(tag->sha1, &type, &size);
 	if (!buf)
-		return 1;
+		goto out;
 	line = memmem(buf, size, "\ntagger ", 8);
 	if (!line++)
-		return 1;
+		goto out;
 	lineend = memchr(line, '\n', buf + size - line);
 	line = memchr(line, '>', lineend ? lineend - line : buf + size - line);
 	if (!line++)
-		return 1;
+		goto out;
 	date = strtoul(line, NULL, 10);
-	free(buf);
-	return (revs->max_age == -1 || revs->max_age < date) &&
+	result = (revs->max_age == -1 || revs->max_age < date) &&
 		(revs->min_age == -1 || revs->min_age > date);
+out:
+	free(buf);
+	return result;
 }
 
 int create_bundle(struct bundle_header *header, const char *path,