diff --git a/builtin/merge.c b/builtin/merge.c
index fed1ff401701ac..133831d42fdeb6 100644
--- a/builtin/merge.c
+++ b/builtin/merge.c
@@ -1273,7 +1273,7 @@ int cmd_merge(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	int best_cnt = -1, merge_was_ok = 0, automerge_was_ok = 0;
 	struct commit_list *common = NULL;
 	const char *best_strategy = NULL, *wt_strategy = NULL;
-	struct commit_list *remoteheads, *p;
+	struct commit_list *remoteheads = NULL, *p;
 	void *branch_to_free;
 	int orig_argc = argc;
 
@@ -1752,6 +1752,10 @@ int cmd_merge(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		ret = suggest_conflicts();
 
 done:
+	if (!automerge_was_ok) {
+		free_commit_list(common);
+		free_commit_list(remoteheads);
+	}
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
 	free(branch_to_free);
 	return ret;
diff --git a/merge-ort.c b/merge-ort.c
index b0ff9a728793aa..d455fca7d249a2 100644
--- a/merge-ort.c
+++ b/merge-ort.c
@@ -4579,7 +4579,7 @@ static void merge_ort_internal(struct merge_options *opt,
 			       struct commit *h2,
 			       struct merge_result *result)
 {
-	struct commit_list *iter;
+	struct commit *next;
 	struct commit *merged_merge_bases;
 	const char *ancestor_name;
 	struct strbuf merge_base_abbrev = STRBUF_INIT;
@@ -4608,7 +4608,8 @@ static void merge_ort_internal(struct merge_options *opt,
 		ancestor_name = merge_base_abbrev.buf;
 	}
 
-	for (iter = merge_bases; iter; iter = iter->next) {
+	for (next = pop_commit(&merge_bases); next;
+	     next = pop_commit(&merge_bases)) {
 		const char *saved_b1, *saved_b2;
 		struct commit *prev = merged_merge_bases;
 
@@ -4625,7 +4626,7 @@ static void merge_ort_internal(struct merge_options *opt,
 		saved_b2 = opt->branch2;
 		opt->branch1 = "Temporary merge branch 1";
 		opt->branch2 = "Temporary merge branch 2";
-		merge_ort_internal(opt, NULL, prev, iter->item, result);
+		merge_ort_internal(opt, NULL, prev, next, result);
 		if (result->clean < 0)
 			return;
 		opt->branch1 = saved_b1;
@@ -4636,8 +4637,7 @@ static void merge_ort_internal(struct merge_options *opt,
 							 result->tree,
 							 "merged tree");
 		commit_list_insert(prev, &merged_merge_bases->parents);
-		commit_list_insert(iter->item,
-				   &merged_merge_bases->parents->next);
+		commit_list_insert(next, &merged_merge_bases->parents->next);
 
 		clear_or_reinit_internal_opts(opt->priv, 1);
 	}