diff --git a/submodule.c b/submodule.c
index fd91201a92..92dfb0fc2d 100644
--- a/submodule.c
+++ b/submodule.c
@@ -2627,13 +2627,12 @@ int get_superproject_working_tree(struct strbuf *buf)
 		 * We might have a superproject, but it is harder
 		 * to determine.
 		 */
-		return 0;
+		goto out;
 
 	if (!strbuf_realpath(&one_up, "../", 0))
-		return 0;
+		goto out;
 
 	subpath = relative_path(cwd, one_up.buf, &sb);
-	strbuf_release(&one_up);
 
 	prepare_submodule_repo_env(&cp.env);
 	strvec_pop(&cp.env);
@@ -2678,20 +2677,22 @@ int get_superproject_working_tree(struct strbuf *buf)
 		ret = 1;
 		free(super_wt);
 	}
-	free(cwd);
-	strbuf_release(&sb);
 
 	code = finish_command(&cp);
 
 	if (code == 128)
 		/* '../' is not a git repository */
-		return 0;
-	if (code == 0 && len == 0)
+		ret = 0;
+	else if (code == 0 && len == 0)
 		/* There is an unrelated git repository at '../' */
-		return 0;
-	if (code)
+		ret = 0;
+	else if (code)
 		die(_("ls-tree returned unexpected return code %d"), code);
 
+out:
+	strbuf_release(&sb);
+	strbuf_release(&one_up);
+	free(cwd);
 	return ret;
 }