diff --git a/src/controller/myconf.c b/src/controller/myconf.c
index ad6b0416..33c04e1b 100644
--- a/src/controller/myconf.c
+++ b/src/controller/myconf.c
@@ -139,16 +139,17 @@ int load_cluster_config(cluster_t*                     c,
 
 cluster_config_t* get_default_conf(void* cl)
 {
-    struct cluster_configuration* cf = NULL;
     cluster_t*                    cls = (cluster_t*)cl;
+    struct cluster_configuration* cf  = NULL;
 
-    load_cluster_config(cls, &cf);
-    if (cf == NULL) {
+    if (load_cluster_config(cls, &cf) != 0 || cf == NULL) {
         PERROR("load_cluster_config");
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    return cf->cluster;
+    cluster_config_t *result = cf->cluster;
+    free(cf);   /* free the wrapper; result (cf->cluster) is caller-owned */
+    return result;
 }
 
 /* ── load_primary_config ────────────────────────── */
@@ -194,6 +195,13 @@ int load_primary_config(cluster_t *c)
     memcpy(&tag, myconf->config_sha256, 8);
     myconf->config_version_tag = be64toh(tag);
 
+    /* Free any prior decoded config before overwriting the pointer */
+    if (myconf->cluster_config) {
+        free_ClusterConfig(myconf->cluster_config);
+        free(myconf->cluster_config);
+        myconf->cluster_config = NULL;
+    }
+
     /* Decode Cap'n Proto directly into myconf->cluster_config */
     rc = load_cluster_config_from_file(myconf->conffile, &myconf->cluster_config);
     if (rc != 0) {
@@ -221,6 +229,11 @@ int load_primary_config(cluster_t *c)
     if (config_contains_reserved_name(myconf->cluster_config)) {
         FATAL("Config '%s' contains reserved name 'lost_and_found'",
               myconf->conffile);
+        free_ClusterConfig(myconf->cluster_config);
+        free(myconf->cluster_config);
+        myconf->cluster_config = NULL;
+        free(myconf->conffile);
+        myconf->conffile = NULL;
         return -EINVAL;
     }