diff --git a/streaming.c b/streaming.c
index 91414f4592..d8c16d28f6 100644
--- a/streaming.c
+++ b/streaming.c
@@ -94,7 +94,9 @@ struct git_istream {
 
 int close_istream(struct git_istream *st)
 {
-	return st->vtbl->close(st);
+	int r = st->vtbl->close(st);
+	free(st);
+	return r;
 }
 
 ssize_t read_istream(struct git_istream *st, char *buf, size_t sz)