diff --git a/jtag/ChangeLog b/jtag/ChangeLog
index 98d261f7..64135dfd 100644
--- a/jtag/ChangeLog
+++ b/jtag/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 2009-03-08  Arnim Laeuger  <arniml>
 
+  * src/svf/svf.c: avoid double free for SIR/SDR parameter strings in case
+    of a consistency check error
+
   * src/bsdl/bsdl_sem.c: avoid leading space when printing commands
 
 2009-03-07  Arnim Laeuger  <arniml>
diff --git a/jtag/src/svf/svf.c b/jtag/src/svf/svf.c
index c1cf4593..7137846d 100644
--- a/jtag/src/svf/svf.c
+++ b/jtag/src/svf/svf.c
@@ -824,15 +824,15 @@ svf_sxr(chain_t *chain, parser_priv_t *priv, enum generic_irdr_coding ir_dr,
     sxr_params->no_tdi = 0;
   }
 
-  /* result of consistency check */
-  if (!result)
-    return(0);
-
   /* take over responsability for free'ing parameter strings */
   params->tdi   = NULL;
   params->mask  = NULL;
   params->smask = NULL;
 
+  /* result of consistency check */
+  if (!result)
+    return(0);
+
 
   /*
    * handle tap registers