re_merge = get_renames(o, merge, common, head, merge, entries);
                clean = process_renames(o, re_head, re_merge);
                if (clean < 0)
-                       return clean;
+                       goto cleanup;
                for (i = entries->nr-1; 0 <= i; i--) {
                        const char *path = entries->items[i].string;
                        struct stage_data *e = entries->items[i].util;
                                int ret = process_entry(o, path, e);
                                if (!ret)
                                        clean = 0;
-                               else if (ret < 0)
-                                       return ret;
+                               else if (ret < 0) {
+                                       clean = ret;
+                                       goto cleanup;
+                               }
                        }
                }
                for (i = 0; i < entries->nr; i++) {
                                    entries->items[i].string);
                }
 
+cleanup:
                string_list_clear(re_merge, 0);
                string_list_clear(re_head, 0);
                string_list_clear(entries, 1);
                free(re_merge);
                free(re_head);
                free(entries);
+
+               if (clean < 0)
+                       return clean;
        }
        else
                clean = 1;