diff --git a/src/ssb.c b/src/ssb.c
index 9e92dcd5..943f4f7d 100644
--- a/src/ssb.c
+++ b/src/ssb.c
@@ -1683,8 +1683,7 @@ bool tf_ssb_append_message_with_keys(tf_ssb_t* ssb, const char* author, const ui
 	{
 		JS_SetPropertyStr(context, root, "previous", JS_NULL);
 	}
-	JSValue authorstr = JS_NewString(context, author);
-	JS_SetPropertyStr(context, root, "author", authorstr);
+	JS_SetPropertyStr(context, root, "author", JS_NewString(context, author));
 	JS_SetPropertyStr(context, root, "sequence", JS_NewInt64(context, previous_sequence + 1));
 
 	int64_t now = (int64_t)time(NULL);
@@ -1706,9 +1705,6 @@ bool tf_ssb_append_message_with_keys(tf_ssb_t* ssb, const char* author, const ui
 		tf_printf("crypto_sign_detached failed\n");
 	}
 
-	JS_FreeCString(context, json);
-	JS_FreeValue(context, jsonval);
-
 	char signature_base64[crypto_sign_BYTES * 2];
 	tf_base64_encode(signature, sizeof(signature), signature_base64, sizeof(signature_base64));
 	strcat(signature_base64, ".sig.ed25519");
@@ -1733,6 +1729,8 @@ bool tf_ssb_append_message_with_keys(tf_ssb_t* ssb, const char* author, const ui
 	else
 	{
 		tf_printf("Failed to verify message signature.\n");
+		tf_printf("json = %s\n", json);
+		tf_printf("sig = %s\n", signature_base64);
 	}
 
 	if (!stored && out_id && out_id_size)
@@ -1740,6 +1738,9 @@ bool tf_ssb_append_message_with_keys(tf_ssb_t* ssb, const char* author, const ui
 		*out_id = '\0';
 	}
 
+	JS_FreeCString(context, json);
+	JS_FreeValue(context, jsonval);
+
 	JS_FreeValue(context, root);
 	return stored;
 }
diff --git a/src/ssb.js.c b/src/ssb.js.c
index 5c98cf7a..b91d8d08 100644
--- a/src/ssb.js.c
+++ b/src/ssb.js.c
@@ -118,9 +118,9 @@ static JSValue _tf_ssb_appendMessageWithIdentity(JSContext* context, JSValueCons
 		uint8_t private_key[crypto_sign_SECRETKEYBYTES];
 		if (tf_ssb_db_identity_get_private_key(ssb, user, id, private_key, sizeof(private_key)))
 		{
-			char id[k_id_base64_len] = { 0 };
-			tf_ssb_append_message_with_keys(ssb, id, private_key, argv[2], id, sizeof(id));
-			result = JS_NewString(context, id);
+			char message_id[k_id_base64_len] = { 0 };
+			tf_ssb_append_message_with_keys(ssb, id, private_key, argv[2], message_id, sizeof(message_id));
+			result = JS_NewString(context, message_id);
 		}
 		else
 		{