diff --git a/diffcore-pickaxe.c b/diffcore-pickaxe.c
index 286919e714..c4a77d71da 100644
--- a/diffcore-pickaxe.c
+++ b/diffcore-pickaxe.c
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ static unsigned int contains(struct diff_filespec *one,
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	diff_free_filespec_data(one);
 	return cnt;
 }