diff --git a/src/ssb.c b/src/ssb.c
index 6d5c2718..d53cb754 100644
--- a/src/ssb.c
+++ b/src/ssb.c
@@ -2239,6 +2239,7 @@ sqlite3* tf_ssb_acquire_db_reader_restricted(tf_ssb_t* ssb)
 
 void tf_ssb_release_db_reader(tf_ssb_t* ssb, sqlite3* db)
 {
+	sqlite3_db_release_memory(db);
 	uv_mutex_lock(&ssb->db_readers_lock);
 	ssb->db_readers = tf_resize_vec(ssb->db_readers, sizeof(sqlite3*) * (ssb->db_readers_count + 1));
 	ssb->db_readers[ssb->db_readers_count++] = db;
@@ -2260,6 +2261,7 @@ sqlite3* tf_ssb_acquire_db_writer(tf_ssb_t* ssb)
 void tf_ssb_release_db_writer(tf_ssb_t* ssb, sqlite3* db)
 {
 	assert(ssb->db_writer == NULL);
+	sqlite3_db_release_memory(db);
 	ssb->db_writer = db;
 	uv_mutex_unlock(&ssb->db_writer_lock);
 	tf_trace_end(ssb->trace);