diff --git a/src/Common/Keyfiles.c b/src/Common/Keyfiles.c
index c634efaf..366d65ee 100644
--- a/src/Common/Keyfiles.c
+++ b/src/Common/Keyfiles.c
@@ -129,7 +129,9 @@ void KeyFileCloneAll (KeyFile *firstKeyFile, KeyFile **outputKeyFile)
 		KeyFile *cloneFirstKeyFile = KeyFileClone (firstKeyFile);
 		KeyFile *kf;
 
-		KeyFileRemoveAll (outputKeyFile);
+		// free output only if different from input
+		if (*outputKeyFile != firstKeyFile)
+			KeyFileRemoveAll (outputKeyFile);
 		if (firstKeyFile)
 		{
 			kf = firstKeyFile->Next;