diff --git a/builtin/receive-pack.c b/builtin/receive-pack.c
index b618d52139..b184886345 100644
--- a/builtin/receive-pack.c
+++ b/builtin/receive-pack.c
@@ -984,7 +984,8 @@ static const char *update(struct command *cmd, struct shallow_info *si)
 {
 	const char *name = cmd->ref_name;
 	struct strbuf namespaced_name_buf = STRBUF_INIT;
-	const char *namespaced_name, *ret;
+	static char *namespaced_name;
+	const char *ret;
 	unsigned char *old_sha1 = cmd->old_sha1;
 	unsigned char *new_sha1 = cmd->new_sha1;
 
@@ -995,6 +996,7 @@ static const char *update(struct command *cmd, struct shallow_info *si)
 	}
 
 	strbuf_addf(&namespaced_name_buf, "%s%s", get_git_namespace(), name);
+	free(namespaced_name);
 	namespaced_name = strbuf_detach(&namespaced_name_buf, NULL);
 
 	if (is_ref_checked_out(namespaced_name)) {