diff --git a/status.c b/status.c
index 13ea9a53..636f6278 100644
--- a/status.c
+++ b/status.c
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ status_replace(struct client *c, struct session *s, struct winlink *wl,
     struct window_pane *wp, const char *fmt, time_t t, int jobsflag)
 {
 	static char		 out[BUFSIZ];
-	char			 in[BUFSIZ], ch, *iptr, *optr;
+	char			 in[BUFSIZ], ch, *iptr, *optr, *expanded;
 	size_t			 len;
 	struct format_tree	*ft;
 
@@ -542,7 +542,9 @@ status_replace(struct client *c, struct session *s, struct winlink *wl,
 	format_session(ft, s);
 	format_winlink(ft, s, wl);
 	format_window_pane(ft, wp);
-	return (format_expand(ft, out));
+    expanded = format_expand(ft, out);
+    format_free(ft);
+    return (expanded);
 }
 
 /* Figure out job name and get its result, starting it off if necessary. */