diff --git a/builtin/branch.c b/builtin/branch.c
index bcc00bcf18..b23b1d1752 100644
--- a/builtin/branch.c
+++ b/builtin/branch.c
@@ -411,6 +411,8 @@ static void print_ref_list(struct ref_filter *filter, struct ref_sorting *sortin
 {
 	int i;
 	struct ref_array array;
+	struct strbuf out = STRBUF_INIT;
+	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int maxwidth = 0;
 	const char *remote_prefix = "";
 	char *to_free = NULL;
@@ -440,8 +442,8 @@ static void print_ref_list(struct ref_filter *filter, struct ref_sorting *sortin
 	ref_array_sort(sorting, &array);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < array.nr; i++) {
-		struct strbuf out = STRBUF_INIT;
-		struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
+		strbuf_reset(&err);
+		strbuf_reset(&out);
 		if (format_ref_array_item(array.items[i], format, &out, &err))
 			die("%s", err.buf);
 		if (column_active(colopts)) {
@@ -452,10 +454,10 @@ static void print_ref_list(struct ref_filter *filter, struct ref_sorting *sortin
 			fwrite(out.buf, 1, out.len, stdout);
 			putchar('\n');
 		}
-		strbuf_release(&err);
-		strbuf_release(&out);
 	}
 
+	strbuf_release(&err);
+	strbuf_release(&out);
 	ref_array_clear(&array);
 	free(to_free);
 }
diff --git a/builtin/for-each-ref.c b/builtin/for-each-ref.c
index 8520008604..b529228c62 100644
--- a/builtin/for-each-ref.c
+++ b/builtin/for-each-ref.c
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ int cmd_for_each_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	struct ref_array array;
 	struct ref_filter filter;
 	struct ref_format format = REF_FORMAT_INIT;
+	struct strbuf output = STRBUF_INIT;
+	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	struct option opts[] = {
 		OPT_BIT('s', "shell", &format.quote_style,
@@ -81,17 +83,16 @@ int cmd_for_each_ref(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (!maxcount || array.nr < maxcount)
 		maxcount = array.nr;
 	for (i = 0; i < maxcount; i++) {
-		struct strbuf output = STRBUF_INIT;
-		struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
-
+		strbuf_reset(&err);
+		strbuf_reset(&output);
 		if (format_ref_array_item(array.items[i], &format, &output, &err))
 			die("%s", err.buf);
 		fwrite(output.buf, 1, output.len, stdout);
 		putchar('\n');
-
-		strbuf_release(&err);
-		strbuf_release(&output);
 	}
+
+	strbuf_release(&err);
+	strbuf_release(&output);
 	ref_array_clear(&array);
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/builtin/tag.c b/builtin/tag.c
index d92d8e110b..82fcfc0982 100644
--- a/builtin/tag.c
+++ b/builtin/tag.c
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ static int list_tags(struct ref_filter *filter, struct ref_sorting *sorting,
 		     struct ref_format *format)
 {
 	struct ref_array array;
+	struct strbuf output = STRBUF_INIT;
+	struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
 	char *to_free = NULL;
 	int i;
 
@@ -64,17 +66,16 @@ static int list_tags(struct ref_filter *filter, struct ref_sorting *sorting,
 	ref_array_sort(sorting, &array);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < array.nr; i++) {
-		struct strbuf output = STRBUF_INIT;
-		struct strbuf err = STRBUF_INIT;
-
+		strbuf_reset(&output);
+		strbuf_reset(&err);
 		if (format_ref_array_item(array.items[i], format, &output, &err))
 			die("%s", err.buf);
 		fwrite(output.buf, 1, output.len, stdout);
 		putchar('\n');
-
-		strbuf_release(&err);
-		strbuf_release(&output);
 	}
+
+	strbuf_release(&err);
+	strbuf_release(&output);
 	ref_array_clear(&array);
 	free(to_free);