diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index d6efd996f8..c91af2fe38 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -508,6 +508,7 @@ static int run_status(FILE *fp, const char *index_file, const char *prefix, int
 
 	wt_status_collect(s);
 	wt_status_print(s);
+	wt_status_collect_free_buffers(s);
 
 	return s->committable;
 }
@@ -1390,6 +1391,8 @@ int cmd_status(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		s.prefix = prefix;
 
 	wt_status_print(&s);
+	wt_status_collect_free_buffers(&s);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c
index 1822e95f65..cc3e84b997 100644
--- a/wt-status.c
+++ b/wt-status.c
@@ -744,21 +744,25 @@ static int has_unmerged(struct wt_status *s)
 
 void wt_status_collect(struct wt_status *s)
 {
-	struct wt_status_state state;
 	wt_status_collect_changes_worktree(s);
-
 	if (s->is_initial)
 		wt_status_collect_changes_initial(s);
 	else
 		wt_status_collect_changes_index(s);
 	wt_status_collect_untracked(s);
 
-	memset(&state, 0, sizeof(state));
-	wt_status_get_state(&state, s->branch && !strcmp(s->branch, "HEAD"));
-	if (state.merge_in_progress && !has_unmerged(s))
+	wt_status_get_state(&s->state, s->branch && !strcmp(s->branch, "HEAD"));
+	if (s->state.merge_in_progress && !has_unmerged(s))
 		s->committable = 1;
 }
 
+void wt_status_collect_free_buffers(struct wt_status *s)
+{
+	free(s->state.branch);
+	free(s->state.onto);
+	free(s->state.detached_from);
+}
+
 static void wt_longstatus_print_unmerged(struct wt_status *s)
 {
 	int shown_header = 0;
@@ -1087,8 +1091,7 @@ static void wt_longstatus_print_tracking(struct wt_status *s)
 }
 
 static void show_merge_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
-				struct wt_status_state *state,
-				const char *color)
+				   const char *color)
 {
 	if (has_unmerged(s)) {
 		status_printf_ln(s, color, _("You have unmerged paths."));
@@ -1109,16 +1112,15 @@ static void show_merge_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
 }
 
 static void show_am_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
-				struct wt_status_state *state,
 				const char *color)
 {
 	status_printf_ln(s, color,
 		_("You are in the middle of an am session."));
-	if (state->am_empty_patch)
+	if (s->state.am_empty_patch)
 		status_printf_ln(s, color,
 			_("The current patch is empty."));
 	if (s->hints) {
-		if (!state->am_empty_patch)
+		if (!s->state.am_empty_patch)
 			status_printf_ln(s, color,
 				_("  (fix conflicts and then run \"git am --continue\")"));
 		status_printf_ln(s, color,
@@ -1242,10 +1244,9 @@ static int read_rebase_todolist(const char *fname, struct string_list *lines)
 }
 
 static void show_rebase_information(struct wt_status *s,
-					struct wt_status_state *state,
-					const char *color)
+				    const char *color)
 {
-	if (state->rebase_interactive_in_progress) {
+	if (s->state.rebase_interactive_in_progress) {
 		int i;
 		int nr_lines_to_show = 2;
 
@@ -1296,28 +1297,26 @@ static void show_rebase_information(struct wt_status *s,
 }
 
 static void print_rebase_state(struct wt_status *s,
-				struct wt_status_state *state,
-				const char *color)
+			       const char *color)
 {
-	if (state->branch)
+	if (s->state.branch)
 		status_printf_ln(s, color,
 				 _("You are currently rebasing branch '%s' on '%s'."),
-				 state->branch,
-				 state->onto);
+				 s->state.branch,
+				 s->state.onto);
 	else
 		status_printf_ln(s, color,
 				 _("You are currently rebasing."));
 }
 
 static void show_rebase_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
-				struct wt_status_state *state,
-				const char *color)
+				    const char *color)
 {
 	struct stat st;
 
-	show_rebase_information(s, state, color);
+	show_rebase_information(s, color);
 	if (has_unmerged(s)) {
-		print_rebase_state(s, state, color);
+		print_rebase_state(s, color);
 		if (s->hints) {
 			status_printf_ln(s, color,
 				_("  (fix conflicts and then run \"git rebase --continue\")"));
@@ -1326,17 +1325,18 @@ static void show_rebase_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
 			status_printf_ln(s, color,
 				_("  (use \"git rebase --abort\" to check out the original branch)"));
 		}
-	} else if (state->rebase_in_progress || !stat(git_path_merge_msg(the_repository), &st)) {
-		print_rebase_state(s, state, color);
+	} else if (s->state.rebase_in_progress ||
+		   !stat(git_path_merge_msg(the_repository), &st)) {
+		print_rebase_state(s, color);
 		if (s->hints)
 			status_printf_ln(s, color,
 				_("  (all conflicts fixed: run \"git rebase --continue\")"));
 	} else if (split_commit_in_progress(s)) {
-		if (state->branch)
+		if (s->state.branch)
 			status_printf_ln(s, color,
 					 _("You are currently splitting a commit while rebasing branch '%s' on '%s'."),
-					 state->branch,
-					 state->onto);
+					 s->state.branch,
+					 s->state.onto);
 		else
 			status_printf_ln(s, color,
 					 _("You are currently splitting a commit during a rebase."));
@@ -1344,11 +1344,11 @@ static void show_rebase_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
 			status_printf_ln(s, color,
 				_("  (Once your working directory is clean, run \"git rebase --continue\")"));
 	} else {
-		if (state->branch)
+		if (s->state.branch)
 			status_printf_ln(s, color,
 					 _("You are currently editing a commit while rebasing branch '%s' on '%s'."),
-					 state->branch,
-					 state->onto);
+					 s->state.branch,
+					 s->state.onto);
 		else
 			status_printf_ln(s, color,
 					 _("You are currently editing a commit during a rebase."));
@@ -1363,11 +1363,10 @@ static void show_rebase_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
 }
 
 static void show_cherry_pick_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
-					struct wt_status_state *state,
-					const char *color)
+					 const char *color)
 {
 	status_printf_ln(s, color, _("You are currently cherry-picking commit %s."),
-			find_unique_abbrev(&state->cherry_pick_head_oid, DEFAULT_ABBREV));
+			find_unique_abbrev(&s->state.cherry_pick_head_oid, DEFAULT_ABBREV));
 	if (s->hints) {
 		if (has_unmerged(s))
 			status_printf_ln(s, color,
@@ -1382,11 +1381,10 @@ static void show_cherry_pick_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
 }
 
 static void show_revert_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
-					struct wt_status_state *state,
-					const char *color)
+				    const char *color)
 {
 	status_printf_ln(s, color, _("You are currently reverting commit %s."),
-			 find_unique_abbrev(&state->revert_head_oid, DEFAULT_ABBREV));
+			 find_unique_abbrev(&s->state.revert_head_oid, DEFAULT_ABBREV));
 	if (s->hints) {
 		if (has_unmerged(s))
 			status_printf_ln(s, color,
@@ -1401,13 +1399,12 @@ static void show_revert_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
 }
 
 static void show_bisect_in_progress(struct wt_status *s,
-				struct wt_status_state *state,
-				const char *color)
+				    const char *color)
 {
-	if (state->branch)
+	if (s->state.branch)
 		status_printf_ln(s, color,
 				 _("You are currently bisecting, started from branch '%s'."),
-				 state->branch);
+				 s->state.branch);
 	else
 		status_printf_ln(s, color,
 				 _("You are currently bisecting."));
@@ -1581,48 +1578,45 @@ void wt_status_get_state(struct wt_status_state *state,
 		wt_status_get_detached_from(state);
 }
 
-static void wt_longstatus_print_state(struct wt_status *s,
-				      struct wt_status_state *state)
+static void wt_longstatus_print_state(struct wt_status *s)
 {
 	const char *state_color = color(WT_STATUS_HEADER, s);
+	struct wt_status_state *state = &s->state;
+
 	if (state->merge_in_progress)
-		show_merge_in_progress(s, state, state_color);
+		show_merge_in_progress(s, state_color);
 	else if (state->am_in_progress)
-		show_am_in_progress(s, state, state_color);
+		show_am_in_progress(s, state_color);
 	else if (state->rebase_in_progress || state->rebase_interactive_in_progress)
-		show_rebase_in_progress(s, state, state_color);
+		show_rebase_in_progress(s, state_color);
 	else if (state->cherry_pick_in_progress)
-		show_cherry_pick_in_progress(s, state, state_color);
+		show_cherry_pick_in_progress(s, state_color);
 	else if (state->revert_in_progress)
-		show_revert_in_progress(s, state, state_color);
+		show_revert_in_progress(s, state_color);
 	if (state->bisect_in_progress)
-		show_bisect_in_progress(s, state, state_color);
+		show_bisect_in_progress(s, state_color);
 }
 
 static void wt_longstatus_print(struct wt_status *s)
 {
 	const char *branch_color = color(WT_STATUS_ONBRANCH, s);
 	const char *branch_status_color = color(WT_STATUS_HEADER, s);
-	struct wt_status_state state;
-
-	memset(&state, 0, sizeof(state));
-	wt_status_get_state(&state,
-			    s->branch && !strcmp(s->branch, "HEAD"));
 
 	if (s->branch) {
 		const char *on_what = _("On branch ");
 		const char *branch_name = s->branch;
 		if (!strcmp(branch_name, "HEAD")) {
 			branch_status_color = color(WT_STATUS_NOBRANCH, s);
-			if (state.rebase_in_progress || state.rebase_interactive_in_progress) {
-				if (state.rebase_interactive_in_progress)
+			if (s->state.rebase_in_progress ||
+			    s->state.rebase_interactive_in_progress) {
+				if (s->state.rebase_interactive_in_progress)
 					on_what = _("interactive rebase in progress; onto ");
 				else
 					on_what = _("rebase in progress; onto ");
-				branch_name = state.onto;
-			} else if (state.detached_from) {
-				branch_name = state.detached_from;
-				if (state.detached_at)
+				branch_name = s->state.onto;
+			} else if (s->state.detached_from) {
+				branch_name = s->state.detached_from;
+				if (s->state.detached_at)
 					on_what = _("HEAD detached at ");
 				else
 					on_what = _("HEAD detached from ");
@@ -1639,10 +1633,7 @@ static void wt_longstatus_print(struct wt_status *s)
 			wt_longstatus_print_tracking(s);
 	}
 
-	wt_longstatus_print_state(s, &state);
-	free(state.branch);
-	free(state.onto);
-	free(state.detached_from);
+	wt_longstatus_print_state(s);
 
 	if (s->is_initial) {
 		status_printf_ln(s, color(WT_STATUS_HEADER, s), "%s", "");
@@ -1946,13 +1937,9 @@ static void wt_porcelain_v2_print_tracking(struct wt_status *s)
 	struct branch *branch;
 	const char *base;
 	const char *branch_name;
-	struct wt_status_state state;
 	int ab_info, nr_ahead, nr_behind;
 	char eol = s->null_termination ? '\0' : '\n';
 
-	memset(&state, 0, sizeof(state));
-	wt_status_get_state(&state, s->branch && !strcmp(s->branch, "HEAD"));
-
 	fprintf(s->fp, "# branch.oid %s%c",
 			(s->is_initial ? "(initial)" : sha1_to_hex(s->sha1_commit)),
 			eol);
@@ -1963,10 +1950,11 @@ static void wt_porcelain_v2_print_tracking(struct wt_status *s)
 		if (!strcmp(s->branch, "HEAD")) {
 			fprintf(s->fp, "# branch.head %s%c", "(detached)", eol);
 
-			if (state.rebase_in_progress || state.rebase_interactive_in_progress)
-				branch_name = state.onto;
-			else if (state.detached_from)
-				branch_name = state.detached_from;
+			if (s->state.rebase_in_progress ||
+			    s->state.rebase_interactive_in_progress)
+				branch_name = s->state.onto;
+			else if (s->state.detached_from)
+				branch_name = s->state.detached_from;
 			else
 				branch_name = "";
 		} else {
@@ -2000,10 +1988,6 @@ static void wt_porcelain_v2_print_tracking(struct wt_status *s)
 			}
 		}
 	}
-
-	free(state.branch);
-	free(state.onto);
-	free(state.detached_from);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/wt-status.h b/wt-status.h
index 937b2c3521..1fcf93afbf 100644
--- a/wt-status.h
+++ b/wt-status.h
@@ -64,6 +64,24 @@ enum wt_status_format {
 	STATUS_FORMAT_UNSPECIFIED
 };
 
+struct wt_status_state {
+	int merge_in_progress;
+	int am_in_progress;
+	int am_empty_patch;
+	int rebase_in_progress;
+	int rebase_interactive_in_progress;
+	int cherry_pick_in_progress;
+	int bisect_in_progress;
+	int revert_in_progress;
+	int detached_at;
+	char *branch;
+	char *onto;
+	char *detached_from;
+	struct object_id detached_oid;
+	struct object_id revert_head_oid;
+	struct object_id cherry_pick_head_oid;
+};
+
 struct wt_status {
 	int is_initial;
 	char *branch;
@@ -93,6 +111,7 @@ struct wt_status {
 	int rename_score;
 	int rename_limit;
 	enum wt_status_format status_format;
+	struct wt_status_state state;
 	unsigned char sha1_commit[GIT_MAX_RAWSZ]; /* when not Initial */
 
 	/* These are computed during processing of the individual sections */
@@ -107,29 +126,12 @@ struct wt_status {
 	uint32_t untracked_in_ms;
 };
 
-struct wt_status_state {
-	int merge_in_progress;
-	int am_in_progress;
-	int am_empty_patch;
-	int rebase_in_progress;
-	int rebase_interactive_in_progress;
-	int cherry_pick_in_progress;
-	int bisect_in_progress;
-	int revert_in_progress;
-	int detached_at;
-	char *branch;
-	char *onto;
-	char *detached_from;
-	struct object_id detached_oid;
-	struct object_id revert_head_oid;
-	struct object_id cherry_pick_head_oid;
-};
-
 size_t wt_status_locate_end(const char *s, size_t len);
 void wt_status_add_cut_line(FILE *fp);
 void wt_status_prepare(struct wt_status *s);
 void wt_status_print(struct wt_status *s);
 void wt_status_collect(struct wt_status *s);
+void wt_status_collect_free_buffers(struct wt_status *s);
 void wt_status_get_state(struct wt_status_state *state, int get_detached_from);
 int wt_status_check_rebase(const struct worktree *wt,
 			   struct wt_status_state *state);
