diff --git a/builtin/rm.c b/builtin/rm.c
index 4858631e0f02c5..2927678d37b6a5 100644
--- a/builtin/rm.c
+++ b/builtin/rm.c
@@ -327,6 +327,8 @@ int cmd_rm(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		if (!seen_any)
 			exit(0);
 	}
+	clear_pathspec(&pathspec);
+	free(seen);
 
 	if (!index_only)
 		submodules_absorb_gitdir_if_needed();