diff --git a/servers/slapd/back-mdb/id2entry.c b/servers/slapd/back-mdb/id2entry.c
index ea9df05f2d..a4456c8d06 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/back-mdb/id2entry.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/back-mdb/id2entry.c
@@ -217,14 +217,14 @@ int mdb_entry_return(
 )
 {
 	if ( e->e_private ) {
-		if ( slapMode & SLAP_TOOL_MODE ) {
-			ch_free( e->e_nname.bv_val );
-			ch_free( e->e_name.bv_val );
-			ch_free( e );
-		} else {
+		if ( op->o_hdr ) {
 			op->o_tmpfree( e->e_nname.bv_val, op->o_tmpmemctx );
 			op->o_tmpfree( e->e_name.bv_val, op->o_tmpmemctx );
 			op->o_tmpfree( e, op->o_tmpmemctx );
+		} else {
+			ch_free( e->e_nname.bv_val );
+			ch_free( e->e_name.bv_val );
+			ch_free( e );
 		}
 	} else {
 		entry_free( e );