diff --git a/dir.c b/dir.c
index 16e10b0d14..41f141c8d6 100644
--- a/dir.c
+++ b/dir.c
@@ -400,7 +400,11 @@ static void *read_skip_worktree_file_from_index(const char *path, size_t *size)
 	return data;
 }
 
-void free_excludes(struct exclude_list *el)
+/*
+ * Frees memory within el which was allocated for exclude patterns and
+ * the file buffer.  Does not free el itself.
+ */
+void clear_exclude_list(struct exclude_list *el)
 {
 	int i;
 
diff --git a/dir.h b/dir.h
index dcb1ad3d3a..5664ba8c64 100644
--- a/dir.h
+++ b/dir.h
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ extern void add_excludes_from_file(struct dir_struct *, const char *fname);
 extern void parse_exclude_pattern(const char **string, int *patternlen, int *flags, int *nowildcardlen);
 extern void add_exclude(const char *string, const char *base,
 			int baselen, struct exclude_list *el);
-extern void free_excludes(struct exclude_list *el);
+extern void clear_exclude_list(struct exclude_list *el);
 extern int file_exists(const char *);
 
 extern int is_inside_dir(const char *dir);
diff --git a/unpack-trees.c b/unpack-trees.c
index c0da094285..ad621d95e9 100644
--- a/unpack-trees.c
+++ b/unpack-trees.c
@@ -1153,7 +1153,7 @@ int unpack_trees(unsigned len, struct tree_desc *t, struct unpack_trees_options
 		*o->dst_index = o->result;
 
 done:
-	free_excludes(&el);
+	clear_exclude_list(&el);
 	if (o->path_exclude_check) {
 		path_exclude_check_clear(o->path_exclude_check);
 		free(o->path_exclude_check);