diff --git a/src/switch_event.c b/src/switch_event.c
index 3e12ea115f..b626d5b846 100644
--- a/src/switch_event.c
+++ b/src/switch_event.c
@@ -1561,6 +1561,7 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(char *) switch_event_expand_headers(switch_event_t *event, const
 	char *cloned_sub_val = NULL;
 	char *func_val = NULL;
 	int nv = 0;
+	char *gvar = NULL;
 
 	nv = switch_string_var_check_const(in) || switch_string_has_escaped_data(in);
 
@@ -1673,7 +1674,6 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(char *) switch_event_expand_headers(switch_event_t *event, const
 					int offset = 0;
 					int ooffset = 0;
 					char *ptr;
-					char *gvar = NULL;
 
 					if ((expanded = switch_event_expand_headers(event, (char *) vname)) == vname) {
 						expanded = NULL;
@@ -1690,6 +1690,7 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(char *) switch_event_expand_headers(switch_event_t *event, const
 					}
 
 					if (!(sub_val = switch_event_get_header(event, vname))) {
+						switch_safe_free(gvar);
 						if ((gvar = switch_core_get_variable_dup(vname))) {
 							sub_val = gvar;
 						}
@@ -1713,7 +1714,6 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(char *) switch_event_expand_headers(switch_event_t *event, const
 						}
 					}
 
-					switch_safe_free(gvar);
 					switch_safe_free(expanded);
 				} else {
 					switch_stream_handle_t stream = { 0 };
@@ -1789,6 +1789,7 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(char *) switch_event_expand_headers(switch_event_t *event, const
 		}
 	}
 	free(indup);
+	switch_safe_free(gvar);
 
 	return data;
 }