diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index ae6f2c27ec93f0..9bdfd26a4b5d63 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ static int git_sequencer_config(const char *k, const char *v, void *cb)
 			warning(_("invalid commit message cleanup mode '%s'"),
 				  s);
 
+		free((char *)s);
 		return status;
 	}