diff --git a/builtin/ls-remote.c b/builtin/ls-remote.c
index ef604752a044a4..5432d239a681e2 100644
--- a/builtin/ls-remote.c
+++ b/builtin/ls-remote.c
@@ -124,8 +124,6 @@ int cmd_ls_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		int hash_algo = hash_algo_by_ptr(transport_get_hash_algo(transport));
 		repo_set_hash_algo(the_repository, hash_algo);
 	}
-	if (transport_disconnect(transport))
-		return 1;
 
 	if (!dest && !quiet)
 		fprintf(stderr, "From %s\n", *remote->url);
@@ -151,5 +149,7 @@ int cmd_ls_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	}
 
 	ref_array_clear(&ref_array);
+	if (transport_disconnect(transport))
+		return 1;
 	return status;
 }
diff --git a/builtin/remote.c b/builtin/remote.c
index d11a5589e49dcc..e31d9c99470e8e 100644
--- a/builtin/remote.c
+++ b/builtin/remote.c
@@ -938,9 +938,6 @@ static int get_remote_ref_states(const char *name,
 				 struct ref_states *states,
 				 int query)
 {
-	struct transport *transport;
-	const struct ref *remote_refs;
-
 	states->remote = remote_get(name);
 	if (!states->remote)
 		return error(_("No such remote: '%s'"), name);
@@ -948,10 +945,12 @@ static int get_remote_ref_states(const char *name,
 	read_branches();
 
 	if (query) {
+		struct transport *transport;
+		const struct ref *remote_refs;
+
 		transport = transport_get(states->remote, states->remote->url_nr > 0 ?
 			states->remote->url[0] : NULL);
 		remote_refs = transport_get_remote_refs(transport, NULL);
-		transport_disconnect(transport);
 
 		states->queried = 1;
 		if (query & GET_REF_STATES)
@@ -960,6 +959,7 @@ static int get_remote_ref_states(const char *name,
 			get_head_names(remote_refs, states);
 		if (query & GET_PUSH_REF_STATES)
 			get_push_ref_states(remote_refs, states);
+		transport_disconnect(transport);
 	} else {
 		for_each_ref(append_ref_to_tracked_list, states);
 		string_list_sort(&states->tracked);
diff --git a/transport.c b/transport.c
index b13fab5dc3b1b9..62362d79dd876a 100644
--- a/transport.c
+++ b/transport.c
@@ -1452,6 +1452,8 @@ int transport_disconnect(struct transport *transport)
 	int ret = 0;
 	if (transport->vtable->disconnect)
 		ret = transport->vtable->disconnect(transport);
+	if (transport->got_remote_refs)
+		free_refs((void *)transport->remote_refs);
 	free(transport);
 	return ret;
 }