diff --git a/servers/slapd/overlays/rwm.c b/servers/slapd/overlays/rwm.c
index 4e87d36dd2..8bdf9355bb 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/overlays/rwm.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/overlays/rwm.c
@@ -55,8 +55,17 @@ rwm_op_cleanup( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 		op->o_req_dn = ros->ro_dn;
 		op->o_req_ndn = ros->ro_ndn;
 
-		if ( !BER_BVISEMPTY( &ros->r_dn )) ch_free( ros->r_dn.bv_val );
-		if ( !BER_BVISEMPTY( &ros->r_ndn )) ch_free( ros->r_ndn.bv_val );
+		if ( !BER_BVISNULL( &ros->r_dn )
+			&& ros->r_dn.bv_val != ros->r_ndn.bv_val )
+		{
+			ch_free( ros->r_dn.bv_val );
+			BER_BVZERO( &ros->r_dn );
+		}
+
+		if ( !BER_BVISNULL( &ros->r_ndn ) ) {
+			ch_free( ros->r_ndn.bv_val );
+			BER_BVZERO( &ros->r_ndn );
+		}
 
 		switch( ros->r_tag ) {
 		case LDAP_REQ_COMPARE: