diff --git a/src/commit.c b/src/commit.c
index eda57c53e..58abd58a7 100644
--- a/src/commit.c
+++ b/src/commit.c
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ int git_commit__parse_buffer(git_commit *commit, void *data, size_t len)
 		if (commit->uninteresting)
 			parent->uninteresting = 1;
 
-		if (git_commit_list_push_back(&commit->parents, parent))
+		if (git_commit_list_push_back(&commit->parents, parent) < 0)
 			return GIT_ENOMEM;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/git/commit.h b/src/git/commit.h
index 1a57ba732..0ccf3c246 100644
--- a/src/git/commit.h
+++ b/src/git/commit.h
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ typedef struct git_commit git_commit;
 
 /**
  * Locate a reference to a commit without loading it.
+ * The generated commit object is owned by the revision
+ * pool and shall not be freed by the user.
+ *
  * @param pool the pool to use when locating the commit.
  * @param id identity of the commit to locate.  If the object is
  *        an annotated tag it will be peeled back to the commit.
@@ -28,6 +31,9 @@ GIT_EXTERN(git_commit *) git_commit_lookup(git_revpool *pool, const git_oid *id)
 /**
  * Locate a reference to a commit, and try to load and parse it it from
  * the commit cache or the object database.
+ * The generated commit object is owned by the revision
+ * pool and shall not be freed by the user.
+ *
  * @param pool the pool to use when parsing/caching the commit.
  * @param id identity of the commit to locate.  If the object is
  *        an annotated tag it will be peeled back to the commit.
diff --git a/src/revwalk.c b/src/revwalk.c
index c3b53a351..431007a7f 100644
--- a/src/revwalk.c
+++ b/src/revwalk.c
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ void gitrp_free(git_revpool *walk)
 	git_revpool_tableit_init(walk->commits, &it);
 
 	while ((commit = (git_commit *)git_revpool_tableit_next(&it)) != NULL) {
+		git_commit_list_clear(&commit->parents, 0);
 		free(commit);
 	}
 
diff --git a/tests/t0401-parse.c b/tests/t0401-parse.c
index 770de6abb..d01f7573a 100644
--- a/tests/t0401-parse.c
+++ b/tests/t0401-parse.c
@@ -151,6 +151,8 @@ BEGIN_TEST(parse_buffer_test)
                     test_commits_broken[i],
                     strlen(test_commits_broken[i]))
                 );
+
+		git_commit_list_clear(&commit.parents, 0);
     }
 
     for (i = 0; i < working_commit_count; ++i) {
@@ -163,6 +165,8 @@ BEGIN_TEST(parse_buffer_test)
                     test_commits_working[i],
                     strlen(test_commits_working[i]))
                 );
+
+		git_commit_list_clear(&commit.parents, 0);
     }
 
     gitrp_free(pool);