diff --git a/src/pattern.c b/src/pattern.c
index 9d07b89c5..60fe462a1 100644
--- a/src/pattern.c
+++ b/src/pattern.c
@@ -2063,6 +2063,7 @@ struct pattern_expr *pattern_new_expr(struct pattern_head *head, struct pat_ref
 		/* Get a lot of memory for the expr struct. */
 		expr = malloc(sizeof(*expr));
 		if (!expr) {
+			free(list);
 			memprintf(err, "out of memory");
 			return NULL;
 		}