diff --git a/builder/index-validate.c b/builder/index-validate.c
index 4b7fe9377..fed0f81f6 100644
--- a/builder/index-validate.c
+++ b/builder/index-validate.c
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
   struct section *sections;
   struct parse_context context;
   FILE *in;
+  int ret;
 
   setlocale (LC_ALL, "");
   bindtextdomain (PACKAGE, LOCALEBASEDIR);
@@ -109,19 +110,22 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
     exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
   }
 
-  if (do_parse (&context, in) != 0) {
+  ret = do_parse (&context, in);
+
+  if (fclose (in) == EOF) {
+    fprintf (stderr, _("%s: %s: error closing input file: %m (ignored)\n"),
+             program_name, input);
+  }
+
+  if (ret != 0) {
+    parse_context_free (&context);
     fprintf (stderr, _("%s: '%s' could not be validated, see errors above\n"),
              program_name, input);
     exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
   }
 
-  if (fclose (in) == EOF) {
-    fprintf (stderr, _("%s: %s: error reading input file: %m\n"),
-             program_name, input);
-    exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
-  }
-
   if (compat_1_24_1 && context.seen_comments) {
+    parse_context_free (&context);
     fprintf (stderr, _("%s: %s contains comments which will not work with virt-builder 1.24.1\n"),
              program_name, input);
     exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
@@ -134,6 +138,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 
     if (compat_1_24_0) {
       if (strchr (sections->name, '_')) {
+        parse_context_free (&context);
         fprintf (stderr, _("%s: %s: section [%s] has invalid characters which will not work with virt-builder 1.24.0\n"),
                  program_name, input, sections->name);
         exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
@@ -144,6 +149,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
       if (compat_1_24_0) {
         if (strchr (fields->key, '[') ||
             strchr (fields->key, ']')) {
+          parse_context_free (&context);
           fprintf (stderr, _("%s: %s: section [%s], field '%s' has invalid characters which will not work with virt-builder 1.24.0\n"),
                    program_name, input, sections->name, fields->key);
           exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
@@ -152,6 +158,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
       if (compat_1_24_1) {
         if (strchr (fields->key, '.') ||
             strchr (fields->key, ',')) {
+          parse_context_free (&context);
           fprintf (stderr, _("%s: %s: section [%s], field '%s' has invalid characters which will not work with virt-builder 1.24.1\n"),
                    program_name, input, sections->name, fields->key);
           exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
@@ -162,6 +169,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
     }
 
     if (compat_1_24_0 && !seen_sig) {
+      parse_context_free (&context);
       fprintf (stderr, _("%s: %s: section [%s] is missing a 'sig' field which will not work with virt-builder 1.24.0\n"),
                program_name, input, sections->name);
       exit (EXIT_FAILURE);