diff --git a/lib/krb5/principal.c b/lib/krb5/principal.c
index 19401a755..e86b6609f 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/principal.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/principal.c
@@ -841,7 +841,8 @@ krb5_sname_to_principal (krb5_context context,
     krb5_error_code ret;
     char localhost[128];
     char **realms, *host = NULL;
-    
+    struct hostent *hp = NULL;
+	
     if(type != KRB5_NT_SRV_HST && type != KRB5_NT_UNKNOWN)
 	return KRB5_SNAME_UNSUPP_NAMETYPE;
     if(hostname == NULL){
@@ -850,8 +851,7 @@ krb5_sname_to_principal (krb5_context context,
     }
     if(sname == NULL)
 	sname = "host";
-    if(type == KRB5_NT_SRV_HST){
-	struct hostent *hp = NULL;
+    if(type == KRB5_NT_SRV_HST) {
 	int error;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_IPV6
@@ -866,18 +866,25 @@ krb5_sname_to_principal (krb5_context context,
     if(type == KRB5_NT_SRV_HST) {
 	host = strdup(hostname);
 	if(host == NULL){
+	    if (hp != NULL)
+		freehostent (hp);
 	    return ENOMEM;
 	}
 	strlwr(host);
 	hostname = host;
     }
     ret = krb5_get_host_realm(context, hostname, &realms);
-    if(ret)
+    if(ret) {
+	if (hp != NULL)
+	    freehostent (hp);
 	return ret;
+    }
     ret = krb5_make_principal(context, ret_princ, realms[0], sname,
 			      hostname, NULL);
     if(host)
 	free(host);
+    if (hp)
+	freehostent (hp);
     krb5_free_host_realm(context, realms);
     return ret;
 }