diff --git a/src/exclude.c b/src/exclude.c
index 1219359511109280492a47f694f74fbdaab8acdd..2974b9fb4a3705634dbf6b05fa90d71b0962ec77 100644
--- a/src/exclude.c
+++ b/src/exclude.c
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ void exclude_clear() {
 
   for(n=excludes; n!=NULL; n=l) {
     l = n->next;
+    free(n->pattern);
     free(n);
   }
   excludes = NULL;