diff --git a/clients/tools/common.c b/clients/tools/common.c
index bb3a2200844d22ed5b892fabbe54c37f2c159bf8..0a503818e2b6b640e5ec5bd1f0afd7bbd0509c05 100644
--- a/clients/tools/common.c
+++ b/clients/tools/common.c
@@ -672,6 +672,8 @@ tool_args( int argc, char **argv )
 					control );
 				usage();
 			}
+			ber_memfree( control );
+			control = NULL;
 			break;
 		case 'f':	/* read from file */
 			if( infile != NULL ) {