diff --git a/src/apps/relay/http_server.c b/src/apps/relay/http_server.c
index b921a7c..a3873f0 100644
--- a/src/apps/relay/http_server.c
+++ b/src/apps/relay/http_server.c
@@ -172,6 +172,10 @@ static struct http_request *parse_http_request_1(struct http_request *ret, char
           if (evhttp_parse_query_str(query, kv) < 0) {
             free(ret);
             ret = NULL;
+            if (kv) {
+              // kv no longer assigned on this path
+              free(kv);
+            }
           } else {
             ret->headers = (struct http_headers *)calloc(sizeof(struct http_headers), 1);
             ret->headers->uri_headers = kv;