diff --git a/usr.sbin/makefs/walk.c b/usr.sbin/makefs/walk.c
index 2c15d6a4b6d1..a1b0cd9d9282 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/makefs/walk.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/makefs/walk.c
@@ -333,6 +333,7 @@ apply_specfile(const char *specfile, const char *dir, fsnode *parent, int specon
 				/* merge in the changes */
 	apply_specdir(dir, root, parent, speconly);
 
+	free_nodes(root);
 }
 
 static void