diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 2d75ac6..52f1b67 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -796,9 +796,14 @@ static void orphaned_commit_warning(struct commit *old, struct commit *new)
 	for_each_ref(add_pending_uninteresting_ref, &revs);
 	add_pending_oid(&revs, "HEAD", &new->object.oid, UNINTERESTING);
 
+	/* Save pending objects, so they can be cleaned up later. */
 	refs = revs.pending;
 	revs.leak_pending = 1;
 
+	/*
+	 * prepare_revision_walk (together with .leak_pending = 1) makes us
+	 * the sole owner of the list of pending objects.
+	 */
 	if (prepare_revision_walk(&revs))
 		die(_("internal error in revision walk"));
 	if (!(old->object.flags & UNINTERESTING))
@@ -806,8 +811,10 @@ static void orphaned_commit_warning(struct commit *old, struct commit *new)
 	else
 		describe_detached_head(_("Previous HEAD position was"), old);
 
+	/* Clean up objects used, as they will be reused. */
 	clear_commit_marks_for_object_array(&refs, ALL_REV_FLAGS);
-	free(refs.objects);
+
+	object_array_clear(&refs);
 }
 
 static int switch_branches(const struct checkout_opts *opts,