diff --git a/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-block.c b/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-block.c
index b1b238ac2a..eafe1fdee9 100644
--- a/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-block.c
+++ b/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-block.c
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ static void t_block_read_write(void)
 		block_iter_close(&it);
 	}
 
+	block_reader_release(&br);
 	reftable_record_release(&rec);
 	reftable_block_done(&br.block);
 	strbuf_release(&want);