diff --git a/diff.c b/diff.c
index 144f2aaba8..9a5c77c13f 100644
--- a/diff.c
+++ b/diff.c
@@ -919,7 +919,10 @@ static void free_diff_words_data(struct emit_callback *ecbdata)
 		free (ecbdata->diff_words->minus.orig);
 		free (ecbdata->diff_words->plus.text.ptr);
 		free (ecbdata->diff_words->plus.orig);
-		free(ecbdata->diff_words->word_regex);
+		if (ecbdata->diff_words->word_regex) {
+			regfree(ecbdata->diff_words->word_regex);
+			free(ecbdata->diff_words->word_regex);
+		}
 		free(ecbdata->diff_words);
 		ecbdata->diff_words = NULL;
 	}
diff --git a/xdiff-interface.c b/xdiff-interface.c
index cd2285de1c..e1e054e4d9 100644
--- a/xdiff-interface.c
+++ b/xdiff-interface.c
@@ -286,9 +286,8 @@ static long ff_regexp(const char *line, long len,
 	result = pmatch[i].rm_eo - pmatch[i].rm_so;
 	if (result > buffer_size)
 		result = buffer_size;
-	else
-		while (result > 0 && (isspace(line[result - 1])))
-			result--;
+	while (result > 0 && (isspace(line[result - 1])))
+		result--;
 	memcpy(buffer, line, result);
  fail:
 	free(line_buffer);