diff --git a/lib/hdb/db.c b/lib/hdb/db.c
index a70d16d5a..02bf0e7f4 100644
--- a/lib/hdb/db.c
+++ b/lib/hdb/db.c
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ DB_op(krb5_context context, HDB *db, hdb_entry *entry, int op)
     key.size = data.length;
     switch(op){
     case 0:
+#if 0
 	krb5_free_principal (context, entry->principal);
+#endif
 	err = d->get(d, &key, &value, 0);
 	break;
     case 1:
@@ -75,7 +77,9 @@ DB_op(krb5_context context, HDB *db, hdb_entry *entry, int op)
 	krb5_data_free(&data);
 	break;
     case 2:
+#if 0
 	krb5_free_principal (context, entry->principal);
+#endif
 	err = d->del(d, &key, 0);
 	break;
     }
diff --git a/lib/hdb/ndbm.c b/lib/hdb/ndbm.c
index 74e8709b0..cd657ccba 100644
--- a/lib/hdb/ndbm.c
+++ b/lib/hdb/ndbm.c
@@ -59,7 +59,9 @@ NDBM_fetch(krb5_context context, HDB *db, hdb_entry *entry)
     krb5_data data;
 
     hdb_principal2key(context, entry->principal, &data);
+#if 0
     krb5_free_principal (context, entry->principal);
+#endif
 
     key.dptr = data.data;
     key.dsize = data.length;