diff --git a/read-cache.c b/read-cache.c
index 48bf24f87c..3b76a1f5d5 100644
--- a/read-cache.c
+++ b/read-cache.c
@@ -2187,6 +2187,7 @@ static unsigned long load_cache_entries_threaded(struct index_state *istate, con
 		if (err)
 			die(_("unable to join load_cache_entries thread: %s"), strerror(err));
 		mem_pool_combine(istate->ce_mem_pool, p->ce_mem_pool);
+		free(p->ce_mem_pool);
 		consumed += p->consumed;
 	}