diff --git a/lib/libalpm/alpm.c b/lib/libalpm/alpm.c
index 1a378db9..02b8fc9b 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/alpm.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/alpm.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "alpm_list.h"
 #include "handle.h"
 #include "log.h"
+#include "trans.h"
 #include "util.h"
 
 /** \addtogroup alpm_interface Interface Functions
@@ -114,6 +115,8 @@ int SYMEXPORT alpm_release(alpm_handle_t *myhandle)
 
 	CHECK_HANDLE(myhandle, return -1);
 
+	_alpm_trans_free(myhandle->trans);
+
 	/* close local database */
 	db = myhandle->db_local;
 	if(db) {
diff --git a/lib/libalpm/handle.c b/lib/libalpm/handle.c
index e3193f40..1e42f4a8 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/handle.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/handle.c
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
 #include "alpm_list.h"
 #include "util.h"
 #include "log.h"
-#include "trans.h"
 #include "alpm.h"
 #include "deps.h"
 
@@ -74,7 +73,6 @@ void _alpm_handle_free(alpm_handle_t *handle)
 #endif
 
 	/* free memory */
-	_alpm_trans_free(handle->trans);
 	FREE(handle->root);
 	FREE(handle->dbpath);
 	FREE(handle->dbext);