diff --git a/kadmin/cpw.c b/kadmin/cpw.c
index 0ee88183b..7ffc828cf 100644
--- a/kadmin/cpw.c
+++ b/kadmin/cpw.c
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ cpw_entry(struct passwd_options *opt, int argc, char **argv)
     int num;
     krb5_key_data key_data[3];
 
+    data.kadm_handle = NULL;
     ret = kadm5_dup_context(kadm_handle, &data.kadm_handle);
     if (ret)
         krb5_err(context, 1, ret, "Could not duplicate kadmin connection");
diff --git a/kadmin/del.c b/kadmin/del.c
index 75d532b1f..6f0bcb6db 100644
--- a/kadmin/del.c
+++ b/kadmin/del.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ del_entry(void *opt, int argc, char **argv)
     krb5_error_code ret = 0;
     void *dup_kadm_handle = NULL;
 
-    ret = kadm5_dup_context(kadm_handle, &kadm_handle);
+    ret = kadm5_dup_context(kadm_handle, &dup_kadm_handle);
 
     for (i = 0; ret == 0 && i < argc; i++)
 	ret = foreach_principal(argv[i], do_del_entry, "del", NULL);
diff --git a/kadmin/ext.c b/kadmin/ext.c
index 1f4cfe1a7..04d4d79a1 100644
--- a/kadmin/ext.c
+++ b/kadmin/ext.c
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ ext_keytab(struct ext_keytab_options *opt, int argc, char **argv)
     const char *enctypes;
     size_t i;
 
+    data.kadm_handle = NULL;
     ret = kadm5_dup_context(kadm_handle, &data.kadm_handle);
     if (ret)
         krb5_err(context, 1, ret, "Could not duplicate kadmin connection");
diff --git a/kadmin/get.c b/kadmin/get.c
index 838615ae8..6e8ada01e 100644
--- a/kadmin/get.c
+++ b/kadmin/get.c
@@ -592,6 +592,7 @@ getit(struct get_options *opt, const char *name, int argc, char **argv)
     if (opt->terse_flag)
         return listit(name, opt->upto_integer, argc, argv);
 
+    data.kadm_handle = NULL;
     ret = kadm5_dup_context(kadm_handle, &data.kadm_handle);
     if (ret)
         krb5_err(context, 1, ret, "Could not duplicate kadmin connection");
diff --git a/kadmin/mod.c b/kadmin/mod.c
index 43c25d73a..3bcd9ac31 100644
--- a/kadmin/mod.c
+++ b/kadmin/mod.c
@@ -406,6 +406,7 @@ mod_entry(struct modify_options *opt, int argc, char **argv)
     struct mod_data data;
     int i;
 
+    data.kadm_handle = NULL;
     data.opt_ns_kr = NULL;
     data.opt_ns = NULL;
     data.opt = opt;
@@ -413,6 +414,8 @@ mod_entry(struct modify_options *opt, int argc, char **argv)
     ret = kadm5_dup_context(kadm_handle, &data.kadm_handle);
     for (i = 0; ret == 0 && i < argc; i++)
 	ret = foreach_principal(argv[i], do_mod_entry, "mod", &data);
+    if (data.kadm_handle)
+        kadm5_destroy(data.kadm_handle);
     return ret != 0;
 }
 
@@ -469,6 +472,7 @@ modify_namespace(struct modify_namespace_options *opt, int argc, char **argv)
     struct mod_data data;
     int i;
 
+    data.kadm_handle = NULL;
     data.opt_ns_kr = NULL;
     data.opt_ns = opt;
     data.opt = NULL;
@@ -476,6 +480,8 @@ modify_namespace(struct modify_namespace_options *opt, int argc, char **argv)
     ret = kadm5_dup_context(kadm_handle, &data.kadm_handle);
     for (i = 0; ret == 0 && i < argc; i++)
 	ret = foreach_principal(argv[i], do_mod_ns_entry, "mod_ns", &data);
+    if (data.kadm_handle)
+        kadm5_destroy(data.kadm_handle);
     return ret != 0;
 }
 
@@ -690,6 +696,7 @@ modify_ns_kr(struct modify_namespace_key_rotation_options *opt,
     struct mod_data data;
     int i;
 
+    data.kadm_handle = NULL;
     data.opt_ns_kr = opt;
     data.opt_ns = NULL;
     data.opt = NULL;
@@ -697,6 +704,8 @@ modify_ns_kr(struct modify_namespace_key_rotation_options *opt,
     ret = kadm5_dup_context(kadm_handle, &data.kadm_handle);
     for (i = 0; ret == 0 && i < argc; i++)
 	ret = foreach_principal(argv[i], do_mod_ns_kr, "mod_ns", opt);
+    if (data.kadm_handle)
+        kadm5_destroy(data.kadm_handle);
     return ret != 0;
 }