diff --git a/tools/grib_merge.c b/tools/grib_merge.c
index d97bf359d..d54a7dadb 100644
--- a/tools/grib_merge.c
+++ b/tools/grib_merge.c
@@ -318,6 +318,16 @@ static grib_handle* merge(grib_handle* h1, grib_handle* h2)
 
     grib_set_double_array(h, "values", v, n);
 
+    grib_context_free(h->context, v);
+    grib_context_free(h->context, v1);
+    grib_context_free(h->context, v2);
+    grib_context_free(h->context, lat);
+    grib_context_free(h->context, lat1);
+    grib_context_free(h->context, lat2);
+    grib_context_free(h->context, lon);
+    grib_context_free(h->context, lon1);
+    grib_context_free(h->context, lon2);
+
     return h;
 }