diff --git a/lib/handle.c b/lib/handle.c
index 28a7dc2..ae829a9 100644
--- a/lib/handle.c
+++ b/lib/handle.c
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ tar_close(TAR *t)
 					: (libtar_freefunc_t)tar_dev_free));
 	if (t->th_pathname != NULL)
 		free(t->th_pathname);
+	free_longlink_longname(t->th_buf);
 	free(t);
 
 	return i;
diff --git a/lib/util.c b/lib/util.c
index 8a42e62..108ce23 100644
--- a/lib/util.c
+++ b/lib/util.c
@@ -164,7 +164,13 @@ int_to_oct_nonull(int num, char *oct, size_t octlen)
 void free_longlink_longname(struct tar_header th_buf)
 {
 	if (th_buf.gnu_longname != NULL)
+	{
 		free(th_buf.gnu_longname);
+		th_buf.gnu_longname = NULL;
+	}
 	if (th_buf.gnu_longlink !=NULL)
+	{
 		free(th_buf.gnu_longlink);
+		th_buf.gnu_longlink = NULL;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/libtar/libtar.c b/libtar/libtar.c
index 7e7354f..8c89211 100644
--- a/libtar/libtar.c
+++ b/libtar/libtar.c
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ list(char *tarfile)
 		{
 			fprintf(stderr, "tar_skip_regfile(): %s\n",
 				strerror(errno));
-			free_longlink_longname(t->th_buf);
+			tar_close(t);
 			return -1;
 		}
 	}
@@ -218,12 +218,10 @@ list(char *tarfile)
 
 	if (tar_close(t) != 0)
 	{
-		free_longlink_longname(t->th_buf);
 		fprintf(stderr, "tar_close(): %s\n", strerror(errno));
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	free_longlink_longname(t->th_buf);
 	return 0;
 }