diff --git a/grub-core/lib/json/json.c b/grub-core/lib/json/json.c
index 913b8f404..1c20c75ea 100644
--- a/grub-core/lib/json/json.c
+++ b/grub-core/lib/json/json.c
@@ -71,12 +71,9 @@ grub_json_parse (grub_json_t **out, char *string, grub_size_t string_len)
   *out = json;
 
  err:
-  if (ret && json)
-    {
-      grub_free (json->string);
-      grub_free (json->tokens);
-      grub_free (json);
-    }
+  if (ret)
+    grub_json_free (json);
+
   return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/grub-core/lib/json/json.h b/grub-core/lib/json/json.h
index d9f99454d..01614f6df 100644
--- a/grub-core/lib/json/json.h
+++ b/grub-core/lib/json/json.h
@@ -50,7 +50,10 @@ typedef struct grub_json grub_json_t;
  * Parse a JSON-encoded string. Note that the string passed to
  * this function will get modified on subsequent calls to
  * grub_json_get*(). Returns the root object of the parsed JSON
- * object, which needs to be free'd via grub_json_free().
+ * object, which needs to be free'd via grub_json_free(). Callers
+ * must ensure that the string outlives the returned root object,
+ * and that child objects must not be used after the root object
+ * has been free'd.
  */
 extern grub_err_t EXPORT_FUNC(grub_json_parse) (grub_json_t **out,
 					        char *string,