diff --git a/grep.c b/grep.c
index f8708e1fd2..92ece4b7fa 100644
--- a/grep.c
+++ b/grep.c
@@ -795,6 +795,7 @@ static void free_grep_pat(struct grep_pat *pattern)
 void free_grep_patterns(struct grep_opt *opt)
 {
 	free_grep_pat(opt->pattern_list);
+	free_grep_pat(opt->header_list);
 
 	if (opt->pattern_expression)
 		free_pattern_expr(opt->pattern_expression);