diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index cbf73b8c9f6..96a02d223a2 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -91,8 +91,8 @@ struct checkout_opts {
 };
 
 struct branch_info {
-	const char *name; /* The short name used */
-	const char *path; /* The full name of a real branch */
+	char *name; /* The short name used */
+	char *path; /* The full name of a real branch */
 	struct commit *commit; /* The named commit */
 	char *refname; /* The full name of the ref being checked out. */
 	struct object_id oid; /* The object ID of the commit being checked out. */
@@ -103,6 +103,16 @@ struct branch_info {
 	char *checkout;
 };
 
+static void branch_info_release(struct branch_info *info)
+{
+	if (!info)
+		return;
+	free(info->name);
+	free(info->path);
+	free(info->refname);
+	free(info->checkout);
+}
+
 static int post_checkout_hook(struct commit *old_commit, struct commit *new_commit,
 			      int changed)
 {
@@ -688,8 +698,10 @@ static void setup_branch_path(struct branch_info *branch)
 		repo_get_oid_committish(the_repository, branch->name, &branch->oid);
 
 	strbuf_branchname(&buf, branch->name, INTERPRET_BRANCH_LOCAL);
-	if (strcmp(buf.buf, branch->name))
+	if (strcmp(buf.buf, branch->name)) {
+		free(branch->name);
 		branch->name = xstrdup(buf.buf);
+	}
 	strbuf_splice(&buf, 0, 0, "refs/heads/", 11);
 	branch->path = strbuf_detach(&buf, NULL);
 }
@@ -894,7 +906,9 @@ static void update_refs_for_switch(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 				      opts->new_branch_log,
 				      opts->quiet,
 				      opts->track);
-		new_branch_info->name = opts->new_branch;
+		free(new_branch_info->name);
+		free(new_branch_info->refname);
+		new_branch_info->name = xstrdup(opts->new_branch);
 		setup_branch_path(new_branch_info);
 	}
 
@@ -1062,8 +1076,7 @@ static int switch_branches(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 			   struct branch_info *new_branch_info)
 {
 	int ret = 0;
-	struct branch_info old_branch_info;
-	void *path_to_free;
+	struct branch_info old_branch_info = { 0 };
 	struct object_id rev;
 	int flag, writeout_error = 0;
 	int do_merge = 1;
@@ -1071,25 +1084,32 @@ static int switch_branches(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 	trace2_cmd_mode("branch");
 
 	memset(&old_branch_info, 0, sizeof(old_branch_info));
-	old_branch_info.path = path_to_free = resolve_refdup("HEAD", 0, &rev, &flag);
+	old_branch_info.path = resolve_refdup("HEAD", 0, &rev, &flag);
 	if (old_branch_info.path)
 		old_branch_info.commit = lookup_commit_reference_gently(the_repository, &rev, 1);
-	if (!(flag & REF_ISSYMREF))
+	if (!(flag & REF_ISSYMREF)) {
+		free(old_branch_info.path);
 		old_branch_info.path = NULL;
+	}
 
-	if (old_branch_info.path)
-		skip_prefix(old_branch_info.path, "refs/heads/", &old_branch_info.name);
+	if (old_branch_info.path) {
+		const char *p;
+		if (skip_prefix(old_branch_info.path, "refs/heads/", &p))
+			old_branch_info.name = xstrdup(p);
+		else
+			BUG("Should be able to skip with %s!", old_branch_info.path);
+	}
 
 	if (opts->new_orphan_branch && opts->orphan_from_empty_tree) {
 		if (new_branch_info->name)
 			BUG("'switch --orphan' should never accept a commit as starting point");
 		new_branch_info->commit = NULL;
-		new_branch_info->name = "(empty)";
+		new_branch_info->name = xstrdup("(empty)");
 		do_merge = 1;
 	}
 
 	if (!new_branch_info->name) {
-		new_branch_info->name = "HEAD";
+		new_branch_info->name = xstrdup("HEAD");
 		new_branch_info->commit = old_branch_info.commit;
 		if (!new_branch_info->commit)
 			die(_("You are on a branch yet to be born"));
@@ -1102,7 +1122,7 @@ static int switch_branches(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 	if (do_merge) {
 		ret = merge_working_tree(opts, &old_branch_info, new_branch_info, &writeout_error);
 		if (ret) {
-			free(path_to_free);
+			branch_info_release(&old_branch_info);
 			return ret;
 		}
 	}
@@ -1113,7 +1133,8 @@ static int switch_branches(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 	update_refs_for_switch(opts, &old_branch_info, new_branch_info);
 
 	ret = post_checkout_hook(old_branch_info.commit, new_branch_info->commit, 1);
-	free(path_to_free);
+	branch_info_release(&old_branch_info);
+
 	return ret || writeout_error;
 }
 
@@ -1145,14 +1166,14 @@ static void setup_new_branch_info_and_source_tree(
 	struct tree **source_tree = &opts->source_tree;
 	struct object_id branch_rev;
 
-	new_branch_info->name = arg;
+	new_branch_info->name = xstrdup(arg);
 	setup_branch_path(new_branch_info);
 
 	if (!check_refname_format(new_branch_info->path, 0) &&
 	    !read_ref(new_branch_info->path, &branch_rev))
 		oidcpy(rev, &branch_rev);
 	else {
-		free((char *)new_branch_info->path);
+		free(new_branch_info->path);
 		new_branch_info->path = NULL; /* not an existing branch */
 	}
 
@@ -1574,12 +1595,11 @@ static char cb_option = 'b';
 
 static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 			 struct checkout_opts *opts, struct option *options,
-			 const char * const usagestr[])
+			 const char * const usagestr[],
+			 struct branch_info *new_branch_info)
 {
-	struct branch_info new_branch_info;
 	int parseopt_flags = 0;
 
-	memset(&new_branch_info, 0, sizeof(new_branch_info));
 	opts->overwrite_ignore = 1;
 	opts->prefix = prefix;
 	opts->show_progress = -1;
@@ -1688,7 +1708,7 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 			opts->track == BRANCH_TRACK_UNSPECIFIED &&
 			!opts->new_branch;
 		int n = parse_branchname_arg(argc, argv, dwim_ok,
-					     &new_branch_info, opts, &rev);
+					     new_branch_info, opts, &rev);
 		argv += n;
 		argc -= n;
 	} else if (!opts->accept_ref && opts->from_treeish) {
@@ -1697,7 +1717,7 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 		if (get_oid_mb(opts->from_treeish, &rev))
 			die(_("could not resolve %s"), opts->from_treeish);
 
-		setup_new_branch_info_and_source_tree(&new_branch_info,
+		setup_new_branch_info_and_source_tree(new_branch_info,
 						      opts, &rev,
 						      opts->from_treeish);
 
@@ -1717,7 +1737,7 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 		 * Try to give more helpful suggestion.
 		 * new_branch && argc > 1 will be caught later.
 		 */
-		if (opts->new_branch && argc == 1 && !new_branch_info.commit)
+		if (opts->new_branch && argc == 1 && !new_branch_info->commit)
 			die(_("'%s' is not a commit and a branch '%s' cannot be created from it"),
 				argv[0], opts->new_branch);
 
@@ -1766,11 +1786,10 @@ static int checkout_main(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix,
 		strbuf_release(&buf);
 	}
 
-	UNLEAK(opts);
 	if (opts->patch_mode || opts->pathspec.nr)
-		return checkout_paths(opts, &new_branch_info);
+		return checkout_paths(opts, new_branch_info);
 	else
-		return checkout_branch(opts, &new_branch_info);
+		return checkout_branch(opts, new_branch_info);
 }
 
 int cmd_checkout(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
@@ -1789,6 +1808,7 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 	int ret;
+	struct branch_info new_branch_info = { 0 };
 
 	memset(&opts, 0, sizeof(opts));
 	opts.dwim_new_local_branch = 1;
@@ -1819,7 +1839,9 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	options = add_checkout_path_options(&opts, options);
 
 	ret = checkout_main(argc, argv, prefix, &opts,
-			    options, checkout_usage);
+			    options, checkout_usage, &new_branch_info);
+	branch_info_release(&new_branch_info);
+	clear_pathspec(&opts.pathspec);
 	FREE_AND_NULL(options);
 	return ret;
 }
@@ -1840,6 +1862,7 @@ int cmd_switch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 	int ret;
+	struct branch_info new_branch_info = { 0 };
 
 	memset(&opts, 0, sizeof(opts));
 	opts.dwim_new_local_branch = 1;
@@ -1859,7 +1882,8 @@ int cmd_switch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	cb_option = 'c';
 
 	ret = checkout_main(argc, argv, prefix, &opts,
-			    options, switch_branch_usage);
+			    options, switch_branch_usage, &new_branch_info);
+	branch_info_release(&new_branch_info);
 	FREE_AND_NULL(options);
 	return ret;
 }
@@ -1881,6 +1905,7 @@ int cmd_restore(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 	int ret;
+	struct branch_info new_branch_info = { 0 };
 
 	memset(&opts, 0, sizeof(opts));
 	opts.accept_ref = 0;
@@ -1896,7 +1921,8 @@ int cmd_restore(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	options = add_checkout_path_options(&opts, options);
 
 	ret = checkout_main(argc, argv, prefix, &opts,
-			    options, restore_usage);
+			    options, restore_usage, &new_branch_info);
+	branch_info_release(&new_branch_info);
 	FREE_AND_NULL(options);
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/t/t1005-read-tree-reset.sh b/t/t1005-read-tree-reset.sh
index 83b09e13106..12e30d77d09 100755
--- a/t/t1005-read-tree-reset.sh
+++ b/t/t1005-read-tree-reset.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 test_description='read-tree -u --reset'
 
+TEST_PASSES_SANITIZE_LEAK=true
 . ./test-lib.sh
 . "$TEST_DIRECTORY"/lib-read-tree.sh
 
diff --git a/t/t1406-submodule-ref-store.sh b/t/t1406-submodule-ref-store.sh
index 0a87058971e..3c19edcf30b 100755
--- a/t/t1406-submodule-ref-store.sh
+++ b/t/t1406-submodule-ref-store.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ test_description='test submodule ref store api'
 GIT_TEST_DEFAULT_INITIAL_BRANCH_NAME=main
 export GIT_TEST_DEFAULT_INITIAL_BRANCH_NAME
 
+TEST_PASSES_SANITIZE_LEAK=true
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
 RUN="test-tool ref-store submodule:sub"
diff --git a/t/t2008-checkout-subdir.sh b/t/t2008-checkout-subdir.sh
index eadb9434ae7..8a518a44ea2 100755
--- a/t/t2008-checkout-subdir.sh
+++ b/t/t2008-checkout-subdir.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 test_description='git checkout from subdirectories'
 
+TEST_PASSES_SANITIZE_LEAK=true
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
 test_expect_success setup '
diff --git a/t/t2014-checkout-switch.sh b/t/t2014-checkout-switch.sh
index ccfb1471135..c138bdde4fe 100755
--- a/t/t2014-checkout-switch.sh
+++ b/t/t2014-checkout-switch.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 test_description='Peter MacMillan'
+
+TEST_PASSES_SANITIZE_LEAK=true
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
 test_expect_success setup '
diff --git a/t/t2026-checkout-pathspec-file.sh b/t/t2026-checkout-pathspec-file.sh
index 43d31d79485..9db11f86dd6 100755
--- a/t/t2026-checkout-pathspec-file.sh
+++ b/t/t2026-checkout-pathspec-file.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 test_description='checkout --pathspec-from-file'
 
+TEST_PASSES_SANITIZE_LEAK=true
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
 test_tick
diff --git a/t/t9102-git-svn-deep-rmdir.sh b/t/t9102-git-svn-deep-rmdir.sh
index 66cd51102c8..7b2049caa0c 100755
--- a/t/t9102-git-svn-deep-rmdir.sh
+++ b/t/t9102-git-svn-deep-rmdir.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 test_description='git svn rmdir'
+
+TEST_PASSES_SANITIZE_LEAK=true
 . ./lib-git-svn.sh
 
 test_expect_success 'initialize repo' '
