diff --git a/diff.c b/diff.c
index 33c65f492dc49469162ae3ece5ab6a002305e5ed..64cdcf2331489ad178031b88140f61840d994bd2 100644
--- a/diff.c
+++ b/diff.c
@@ -2583,6 +2583,7 @@ static void show_stats(struct diffstat_t *data, struct diff_options *options)
 	}
 
 	print_stat_summary_inserts_deletes(options, total_files, adds, dels);
+	strbuf_release(&out);
 }
 
 static void show_shortstats(struct diffstat_t *data, struct diff_options *options)