diff --git a/http.c b/http.c
index 67c9c6fc60..8b0de51984 100644
--- a/http.c
+++ b/http.c
@@ -2806,6 +2806,7 @@ struct http_object_request *new_http_object_request(const char *base_url,
 	git_inflate_init(&freq->stream);
 
 	the_hash_algo->init_fn(&freq->c);
+	freq->hash_ctx_valid = 1;
 
 	freq->url = get_remote_object_url(base_url, hex, 0);
 
@@ -2913,6 +2914,7 @@ int finish_http_object_request(struct http_object_request *freq)
 	}
 
 	git_hash_final_oid(&freq->real_oid, &freq->c);
+	freq->hash_ctx_valid = 0;
 	if (freq->zret != Z_STREAM_END) {
 		unlink_or_warn(freq->tmpfile.buf);
 		return -1;
@@ -2953,6 +2955,8 @@ void release_http_object_request(struct http_object_request **freq_p)
 	curl_slist_free_all(freq->headers);
 	strbuf_release(&freq->tmpfile);
 	git_inflate_end(&freq->stream);
+	if (freq->hash_ctx_valid)
+		git_hash_discard(&freq->c);
 
 	free(freq);
 	*freq_p = NULL;
diff --git a/http.h b/http.h
index f9ee888c3e..dc9700c113 100644
--- a/http.h
+++ b/http.h
@@ -249,6 +249,7 @@ struct http_object_request {
 	struct object_id oid;
 	struct object_id real_oid;
 	struct git_hash_ctx c;
+	int hash_ctx_valid;
 	git_zstream stream;
 	int zret;
 	int rename;