diff --git a/include/haproxy/server.h b/include/haproxy/server.h
index 4c382fa69..3829bce2b 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/server.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/server.h
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ struct server *cli_find_server(struct appctx *appctx, char *arg);
 struct server *new_server(struct proxy *proxy);
 void srv_take(struct server *srv);
 struct server *srv_drop(struct server *srv);
+void srv_free_params(struct server *srv);
 int srv_init_per_thr(struct server *srv);
 void srv_set_ssl(struct server *s, int use_ssl);
 const char *srv_adm_st_chg_cause(enum srv_adm_st_chg_cause cause);
diff --git a/src/proxy.c b/src/proxy.c
index bc086865c..a15acc13b 100644
--- a/src/proxy.c
+++ b/src/proxy.c
@@ -310,6 +310,11 @@ void free_proxy(struct proxy *p)
 		s = srv_drop(s);
 	}/* end while(s) */
 
+	/* also free default-server parameters since some of them might have
+	 * been dynamically allocated (e.g.: config hints, cookies, ssl..)
+	 */
+	srv_free_params(&p->defsrv);
+
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(l, l_next, &p->conf.listeners, by_fe) {
 		LIST_DELETE(&l->by_fe);
 		LIST_DELETE(&l->by_bind);
diff --git a/src/server.c b/src/server.c
index eefb3bccc..1eb13c42e 100644
--- a/src/server.c
+++ b/src/server.c
@@ -2465,6 +2465,24 @@ void srv_take(struct server *srv)
 	HA_ATOMIC_INC(&srv->refcount);
 }
 
+/* deallocate common server parameters (may be used by default-servers) */
+void srv_free_params(struct server *srv)
+{
+	free(srv->cookie);
+	free(srv->hostname);
+	free(srv->hostname_dn);
+	free((char*)srv->conf.file);
+	free(srv->per_thr);
+	free(srv->per_tgrp);
+	free(srv->curr_idle_thr);
+	free(srv->resolvers_id);
+	free(srv->addr_node.key);
+	free(srv->lb_nodes);
+
+	if (xprt_get(XPRT_SSL) && xprt_get(XPRT_SSL)->destroy_srv)
+		xprt_get(XPRT_SSL)->destroy_srv(srv);
+}
+
 /* Deallocate a server <srv> and its member. <srv> must be allocated. For
  * dynamic servers, its refcount is decremented first. The free operations are
  * conducted only if the refcount is nul.
@@ -2498,19 +2516,8 @@ struct server *srv_drop(struct server *srv)
 	task_destroy(srv->srvrq_check);
 
 	free(srv->id);
-	free(srv->cookie);
-	free(srv->hostname);
-	free(srv->hostname_dn);
-	free((char*)srv->conf.file);
-	free(srv->per_thr);
-	free(srv->per_tgrp);
-	free(srv->curr_idle_thr);
-	free(srv->resolvers_id);
-	free(srv->addr_node.key);
-	free(srv->lb_nodes);
+	srv_free_params(srv);
 
-	if (xprt_get(XPRT_SSL) && xprt_get(XPRT_SSL)->destroy_srv)
-		xprt_get(XPRT_SSL)->destroy_srv(srv);
 	HA_SPIN_DESTROY(&srv->lock);
 
 	LIST_DELETE(&srv->global_list);