diff --git a/read-cache.c b/read-cache.c
index 60abec6055..5b922fd583 100644
--- a/read-cache.c
+++ b/read-cache.c
@@ -707,9 +707,11 @@ int add_to_index(struct index_state *istate, const char *path, struct stat *st,
 		    ce->ce_mode == alias->ce_mode);
 
 	if (pretend)
-		;
-	else if (add_index_entry(istate, ce, add_option))
-		return error("unable to add %s to index",path);
+		free(ce);
+	else if (add_index_entry(istate, ce, add_option)) {
+		free(ce);
+		return error("unable to add %s to index", path);
+	}
 	if (verbose && !was_same)
 		printf("add '%s'\n", path);
 	return 0;