diff --git a/commit-reach.c b/commit-reach.c
index ecc913fc99..bfa1b6454d 100644
--- a/commit-reach.c
+++ b/commit-reach.c
@@ -104,8 +104,11 @@ static struct commit_list *paint_down_to_common(struct repository *r,
 			parents = parents->next;
 			if ((p->object.flags & flags) == flags)
 				continue;
-			if (repo_parse_commit(r, p))
+			if (repo_parse_commit(r, p)) {
+				clear_prio_queue(&queue);
+				free_commit_list(result);
 				return NULL;
+			}
 			p->object.flags |= flags;
 			prio_queue_put(&queue, p);
 		}