diff --git a/builtin/difftool.c b/builtin/difftool.c
index be7ed2acaa..1a415a15a3 100644
--- a/builtin/difftool.c
+++ b/builtin/difftool.c
@@ -568,8 +568,6 @@ static int run_dir_diff(const char *extcmd, int symlinks, const char *prefix,
 		write_standin_files(entry, &ldir, ldir_len, &rdir, rdir_len);
 	}
 
-	strbuf_release(&buf);
-
 	strbuf_setlen(&ldir, ldir_len);
 	helper_argv[1] = ldir.buf;
 	strbuf_setlen(&rdir, rdir_len);