diff --git a/src/tree.c b/src/tree.c
index 5642c5c7..5a6129ac 100644
--- a/src/tree.c
+++ b/src/tree.c
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ bool tree_restore(const char *path, xcb_get_geometry_reply_t *geometry) {
     focused = croot;
 
     tree_append_json(focused, globbed, NULL);
+    free(globbed);
 
     DLOG("appended tree, using new root\n");
     croot = TAILQ_FIRST(&(croot->nodes_head));