diff --git a/common/living.c b/common/living.c
index 884c4b1..3917060 100644
--- a/common/living.c
+++ b/common/living.c
@@ -1184,7 +1184,9 @@ void fix_object(object *op) {
 
                     if (tmp->slaying!=NULL) {
                         if (op->slaying != NULL)
-                          op->slaying = join_strings(op->slaying, tmp->slaying, ",");
+                          sstring joined_str = join_strings(op->slaying, tmp->slaying, ",");
+                          free_string(op->slaying);
+                          op->slaying = joined_str;
                         else 
                           add_refcount(op->slaying = tmp->slaying);
                     }
@@ -1236,7 +1238,9 @@ void fix_object(object *op) {
                         weapon_speed=0;
                     if (tmp->slaying!=NULL) {
                         if (op->slaying != NULL)
-                          op->slaying = join_strings(op->slaying, tmp->slaying, ",");
+                          sstring joined_str = join_strings(op->slaying, tmp->slaying, ",");
+                          free_string(op->slaying);
+                          op->slaying = joined_str;
                         else 
                           add_refcount(op->slaying = tmp->slaying);
                     }
@@ -1279,7 +1283,9 @@ void fix_object(object *op) {
                         max=ARMOUR_SPEED(tmp)/10.0;
                     if (tmp->slaying!=NULL) {
                         if (op->slaying != NULL)
-                          op->slaying = join_strings(op->slaying, tmp->slaying, ",");
+                          sstring joined_str = join_strings(op->slaying, tmp->slaying, ",");
+                          free_string(op->slaying);
+                          op->slaying = joined_str;
                         else 
                           add_refcount(op->slaying = tmp->slaying);
                     }
diff --git a/common/shstr.c b/common/shstr.c
index 72687f1..5c316eb 100644
--- a/common/shstr.c
+++ b/common/shstr.c
@@ -237,10 +237,8 @@ sstring join_strings(sstring target_str, sstring source_str, const char *separat
   /* create shared string from buffer */
   ss = add_string(buf);
 
-  /* free our buffer and our shared string references */
+  /* free our buffer */
   free(buf);
-  free_string(target_str);
-  free_string(source_str);
 
   return ss;
 }