diff --git a/builtin/difftool.c b/builtin/difftool.c
index d13350ce83..3a77aeb682 100644
--- a/builtin/difftool.c
+++ b/builtin/difftool.c
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ static int run_dir_diff(const char *extcmd, int symlinks, const char *prefix,
 	struct strbuf rpath = STRBUF_INIT, buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf ldir = STRBUF_INIT, rdir = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf wtdir = STRBUF_INIT;
+	char *lbase_dir, *rbase_dir;
 	size_t ldir_len, rdir_len, wtdir_len;
 	struct cache_entry *ce = xcalloc(1, sizeof(ce) + PATH_MAX + 1);
 	const char *workdir, *tmp;
@@ -298,11 +299,11 @@ static int run_dir_diff(const char *extcmd, int symlinks, const char *prefix,
 	memset(&wtindex, 0, sizeof(wtindex));
 
 	memset(&lstate, 0, sizeof(lstate));
-	lstate.base_dir = ldir.buf;
+	lstate.base_dir = lbase_dir = xstrdup(ldir.buf);
 	lstate.base_dir_len = ldir.len;
 	lstate.force = 1;
 	memset(&rstate, 0, sizeof(rstate));
-	rstate.base_dir = rdir.buf;
+	rstate.base_dir = rbase_dir = xstrdup(rdir.buf);
 	rstate.base_dir_len = rdir.len;
 	rstate.force = 1;
 
@@ -585,6 +586,8 @@ static int run_dir_diff(const char *extcmd, int symlinks, const char *prefix,
 
 finish:
 	free(ce);
+	free(lbase_dir);
+	free(rbase_dir);
 	strbuf_release(&ldir);
 	strbuf_release(&rdir);
 	strbuf_release(&wtdir);