diff --git a/tools/lib/subcmd/help.c b/tools/lib/subcmd/help.c
index bf02d62a3b2b..a66fb1a1a312 100644
--- a/tools/lib/subcmd/help.c
+++ b/tools/lib/subcmd/help.c
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ void exclude_cmds(struct cmdnames *cmds, struct cmdnames *excludes)
 	while (ci < cmds->cnt && ei < excludes->cnt) {
 		cmp = strcmp(cmds->names[ci]->name, excludes->names[ei]->name);
 		if (cmp < 0) {
+			zfree(&cmds->names[cj]);
 			cmds->names[cj++] = cmds->names[ci++];
 		} else if (cmp == 0) {
 			ci++;
@@ -75,9 +76,12 @@ void exclude_cmds(struct cmdnames *cmds, struct cmdnames *excludes)
 		}
 	}
 
-	while (ci < cmds->cnt)
+	while (ci < cmds->cnt) {
+		zfree(&cmds->names[cj]);
 		cmds->names[cj++] = cmds->names[ci++];
-
+	}
+	for (ci = cj; ci < cmds->cnt; ci++)
+		zfree(&cmds->names[ci]);
 	cmds->cnt = cj;
 }