diff --git a/servers/slapd/slapcommon.c b/servers/slapd/slapcommon.c
index 6ae9d19469..1cf60a4260 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/slapcommon.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/slapcommon.c
@@ -649,6 +649,8 @@ slap_tool_init(
 			nosubordinates = 1;
 		}
 
+		ch_free( base.bv_val );
+
 	} else if ( dbnum == -1 ) {
 		/* no suffix and no dbnum specified, just default to
 		 * the first available database