diff --git a/src/gpgme-json.c b/src/gpgme-json.c
index 74ca2b6e..cc3abfe5 100644
--- a/src/gpgme-json.c
+++ b/src/gpgme-json.c
@@ -3665,6 +3665,10 @@ native_messaging_repl (void)
           log_error ("error writing request: %s\n", gpg_strerror (err));
           break;
         }
+      xfree (response);
+      response = NULL;
+      xfree (request);
+      request = NULL;
     }
 
   xfree (response);