diff --git a/fuzzysearch/_substitutions_only_lp_template.h b/fuzzysearch/_substitutions_only_lp_template.h
index 382394f..1821665 100644
--- a/fuzzysearch/_substitutions_only_lp_template.h
+++ b/fuzzysearch/_substitutions_only_lp_template.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ FUNCTION_NAME(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
     PREPARE;
 
     if (seq_len < subseq_len) {
+        DO_FREES;
         RETURN_AT_END;
     }
 
diff --git a/fuzzysearch/_substitutions_only_ngrams_template.h b/fuzzysearch/_substitutions_only_ngrams_template.h
index 5e47e00..5ca4d4d 100644
--- a/fuzzysearch/_substitutions_only_ngrams_template.h
+++ b/fuzzysearch/_substitutions_only_ngrams_template.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ FUNCTION_NAME(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
     PREPARE;
 
     if (seq_len < subseq_len) {
+        DO_FREES;
         RETURN_AT_END;
     }