diff --git a/header_only/json.h b/header_only/json.h
index ed932b9dd..bfafa4ced 100644
--- a/header_only/json.h
+++ b/header_only/json.h
@@ -1778,6 +1778,7 @@ json::iterator json::find(const char* key)
 
     if (type_ == value_t::object)
     {
+        delete result.oi_;
         result.oi_ = new object_t::iterator(value_.object->find(key));
         result.invalid = (*(result.oi_) == value_.object->end());
     }
@@ -1791,6 +1792,7 @@ json::const_iterator json::find(const char* key) const
 
     if (type_ == value_t::object)
     {
+        delete result.oi_;
         result.oi_ = new object_t::const_iterator(value_.object->find(key));
         result.invalid = (*(result.oi_) == value_.object->cend());
     }
diff --git a/src/json.cc b/src/json.cc
index c6e13f802..0816c279c 100644
--- a/src/json.cc
+++ b/src/json.cc
@@ -1249,6 +1249,7 @@ json::iterator json::find(const char* key)
 
     if (type_ == value_t::object)
     {
+        delete result.oi_;
         result.oi_ = new object_t::iterator(value_.object->find(key));
         result.invalid = (*(result.oi_) == value_.object->end());
     }
@@ -1262,6 +1263,7 @@ json::const_iterator json::find(const char* key) const
 
     if (type_ == value_t::object)
     {
+        delete result.oi_;
         result.oi_ = new object_t::const_iterator(value_.object->find(key));
         result.invalid = (*(result.oi_) == value_.object->cend());
     }