diff --git a/t/helper/test-parse-options.c b/t/helper/test-parse-options.c
index a282b6ff13..48d3cf6692 100644
--- a/t/helper/test-parse-options.c
+++ b/t/helper/test-parse-options.c
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ static int dry_run = 0, quiet = 0;
 static char *string = NULL;
 static char *file = NULL;
 static int ambiguous;
-static struct string_list list = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
 
 static struct {
 	int called;
@@ -107,6 +106,8 @@ int cmd__parse_options(int argc, const char **argv)
 		NULL
 	};
 	struct string_list expect = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
+	struct string_list list = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
+
 	struct option options[] = {
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "yes", &boolean, "get a boolean"),
 		OPT_BOOL('D', "no-doubt", &boolean, "begins with 'no-'"),
@@ -185,5 +186,9 @@ int cmd__parse_options(int argc, const char **argv)
 	for (i = 0; i < argc; i++)
 		show(&expect, &ret, "arg %02d: %s", i, argv[i]);
 
+	expect.strdup_strings = 1;
+	string_list_clear(&expect, 0);
+	string_list_clear(&list, 0);
+
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/t/t0040-parse-options.sh b/t/t0040-parse-options.sh
index da310ed29b..ed422a1a61 100755
--- a/t/t0040-parse-options.sh
+++ b/t/t0040-parse-options.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 test_description='our own option parser'
 
+TEST_PASSES_SANITIZE_LEAK=true
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
 cat >expect <<\EOF