diff --git a/RELNOTES b/RELNOTES
index da7e1474..445deba9 100644
--- a/RELNOTES
+++ b/RELNOTES
@@ -244,6 +244,10 @@ by Eric Young (eay@cryptsoft.com).
   [ISC-Bugs #37954]
   [ISC-Bugs #40752]
 
+- Add a dereference call when handling an error condition while
+  decoding a packet.
+  [ISC-Bugs #41774]
+
 			Changes since 4.3.3b1
 
 - None
diff --git a/common/options.c b/common/options.c
index 50271f22..1db73ac5 100644
--- a/common/options.c
+++ b/common/options.c
@@ -3877,6 +3877,7 @@ void do_packet (interface, packet, len, from_port, from, hfrom)
 	/* Allocate packet->options now so it is non-null for all packets */
 	decoded_packet->options_valid = 0;
 	if (!option_state_allocate (&decoded_packet->options, MDL)) {
+		packet_dereference(&decoded_packet, MDL);
 		return;
 	}