diff --git a/src/control/cmd/ddb/commands_wrapper.go b/src/control/cmd/ddb/commands_wrapper.go
index d9751dbd8e5..eaa26832c09 100644
--- a/src/control/cmd/ddb/commands_wrapper.go
+++ b/src/control/cmd/ddb/commands_wrapper.go
@@ -247,14 +247,18 @@ func ddbFeature(ctx *DdbContext, path, enable, disable string, show bool) error
 	defer freeString(options.path)
 	options.db_path = ctx.ctx.dc_db_path
 	if enable != "" {
-		err := daosError(C.ddb_feature_string2flags(&ctx.ctx, C.CString(enable),
+		cEnable := C.CString(enable)
+		defer freeString(cEnable)
+		err := daosError(C.ddb_feature_string2flags(&ctx.ctx, cEnable,
 			&options.set_compat_flags, &options.set_incompat_flags))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
 	if disable != "" {
-		err := daosError(C.ddb_feature_string2flags(&ctx.ctx, C.CString(disable),
+		cDisable := C.CString(disable)
+		defer freeString(cDisable)
+		err := daosError(C.ddb_feature_string2flags(&ctx.ctx, cDisable,
 			&options.clear_compat_flags, &options.clear_incompat_flags))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -312,8 +316,8 @@ func ddbDtxStat(ctx *DdbContext, path string, details bool) error {
 	/* Set up the options */
 	options := C.struct_dtx_stat_options{}
 	options.path = C.CString(path)
-	options.details = C.bool(details)
 	defer freeString(options.path)
+	options.details = C.bool(details)
 	/* Run the c code command */
 	return daosError(C.ddb_run_dtx_stat(&ctx.ctx, &options))
 }
diff --git a/src/utils/ddb/ddb_commands.c b/src/utils/ddb/ddb_commands.c
index 63af1e1f522..fc5477f6e94 100644
--- a/src/utils/ddb/ddb_commands.c
+++ b/src/utils/ddb/ddb_commands.c
@@ -1148,10 +1148,11 @@ ddb_run_feature(struct ddb_ctx *ctx, struct feature_options *opt)
 		ddb_printf(ctx, "Incompat Flags: %lu\n", new_incompat_flags);
 	}
 out:
-	if (close)
+	if (close) {
 		rc = dv_pool_close(ctx->dc_poh);
-	ctx->dc_poh        = DAOS_HDL_INVAL;
-	ctx->dc_write_mode = false;
+		ctx->dc_poh        = DAOS_HDL_INVAL;
+		ctx->dc_write_mode = false;
+	}
 
 	return rc;
 }
diff --git a/src/utils/ddb/tests/ddb_vos_tests.c b/src/utils/ddb/tests/ddb_vos_tests.c
index 6297f55395f..74f76839b7d 100644
--- a/src/utils/ddb/tests/ddb_vos_tests.c
+++ b/src/utils/ddb/tests/ddb_vos_tests.c
@@ -1176,8 +1176,9 @@ static void
 helper_stat_open_modify_close_stat(struct dt_vos_pool_ctx *tctx, struct file_state fs[2],
 				   bool write_mode)
 {
-	const char *path = tctx->dvt_pmem_file;
+	const char           *path       = tctx->dvt_pmem_file;
 	struct vos_file_parts path_parts = {0};
+	daos_handle_t         saved_poh  = tctx->dvt_poh;
 
 	assert_int_equal(stat(path, &fs[FILE_STATE_PRE].stat), 0);
 	sha256sum(path, fs[FILE_STATE_PRE].digest);
@@ -1186,6 +1187,7 @@ helper_stat_open_modify_close_stat(struct dt_vos_pool_ctx *tctx, struct file_sta
 	assert_success(dv_pool_open(path, &path_parts, &tctx->dvt_poh, 0, write_mode));
 	update_value_to_modify_tests((void **)&tctx);
 	assert_success(dv_pool_close(tctx->dvt_poh));
+	tctx->dvt_poh = saved_poh;
 
 	assert_int_equal(stat(path, &fs[FILE_STATE_POST].stat), 0);
 	sha256sum(path, fs[FILE_STATE_POST].digest);
@@ -1200,7 +1202,7 @@ read_only_vs_write_mode_test(void **state)
 	/** In read‑only mode, the pool contents remain unchanged, and its mtime stays the same. */
 	helper_stat_open_modify_close_stat(tctx, fs, false /** read-only */);
 	assert_int_equal(fs[FILE_STATE_PRE].stat.st_mtime, fs[FILE_STATE_POST].stat.st_mtime);
-	assert_memory_equal(fs[FILE_STATE_PRE].digest, fs[FILE_STATE_PRE].digest,
+	assert_memory_equal(fs[FILE_STATE_PRE].digest, fs[FILE_STATE_POST].digest,
 			    SHA256_DIGEST_LEN);
 
 	/** In write mode, the pool contents will change and its mtime will increase. */