diff --git a/lib/command_match.c b/lib/command_match.c
index ca2135a1c2..75780de2c5 100644
--- a/lib/command_match.c
+++ b/lib/command_match.c
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ command_match (struct graph *cmdgraph,
 
   // prepend a dummy token to match that pesky start node
   vector vvline = vector_init (vline->alloced + 1);
-  vector_set_index (vvline, 0, (void *) "dummy");
+  vector_set_index (vvline, 0, (void *) XSTRDUP (MTYPE_TMP, "dummy"));
   memcpy (vvline->index + 1, vline->index, sizeof (void *) * vline->alloced);
   vvline->active = vline->active + 1;
 
@@ -114,6 +114,11 @@ command_match (struct graph *cmdgraph,
       assert (*el);
     }
 
+  // free the leader token we alloc'd
+  XFREE (MTYPE_TMP, vector_slot (vvline, 0));
+  // free vector
+  vector_free (vvline);
+
   return matcher_rv;
 }