diff --git a/Modules/regexmodule.c b/Modules/regexmodule.c
index 41ae9caf88a..b9f75a045be 100644
--- a/Modules/regexmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/regexmodule.c
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ static void
 reg_dealloc(re)
 	regexobject *re;
 {
+	XDEL(re->re_patbuf.buffer);
 	XDECREF(re->re_translate);
 	XDECREF(re->re_lastok);
 	XDECREF(re->re_groupindex);