diff --git a/src/frontend/variable.c b/src/frontend/variable.c
index 96f5f4b54..2b998d44b 100644
--- a/src/frontend/variable.c
+++ b/src/frontend/variable.c
@@ -390,6 +390,8 @@ free_struct_variable(struct variable *v)
 {
     while (v) {
         struct variable *next_v = v->va_next;
+        if (v->va_name)
+            tfree(v->va_name);
         if (v->va_type == CP_LIST)
             free_struct_variable(v->va_vlist);
         if (v->va_type == CP_STRING)