diff --git a/fs/orangefs/orangefs-debugfs.c b/fs/orangefs/orangefs-debugfs.c
index 29eaa4544372..a848b6ef9599 100644
--- a/fs/orangefs/orangefs-debugfs.c
+++ b/fs/orangefs/orangefs-debugfs.c
@@ -222,6 +222,8 @@ out:
 void orangefs_debugfs_cleanup(void)
 {
 	debugfs_remove_recursive(debug_dir);
+	kfree(debug_help_string);
+	debug_help_string = NULL;
 }
 
 /* open ORANGEFS_KMOD_DEBUG_HELP_FILE */
@@ -671,6 +673,7 @@ int orangefs_prepare_debugfs_help_string(int at_boot)
 		memset(debug_help_string, 0, DEBUG_HELP_STRING_SIZE);
 		strlcat(debug_help_string, new, string_size);
 		mutex_unlock(&orangefs_help_file_lock);
+		kfree(new);
 	}
 
 	rc = 0;