diff --git a/http-walker.c b/http-walker.c
index b34b6ac..ab7d553 100644
--- a/http-walker.c
+++ b/http-walker.c
@@ -168,6 +168,11 @@
 	};
 	int i;
 
+	if (http_follow_config != HTTP_FOLLOW_ALWAYS) {
+		warning("alternate disabled by http.followRedirects: %s", url);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(protocols); i++) {
 		const char *end;
 		if (skip_prefix(url, protocols[i], &end) &&
@@ -314,6 +319,8 @@
 					while (tail->next != NULL)
 						tail = tail->next;
 					tail->next = newalt;
+				} else {
+					strbuf_release(&target);
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -331,9 +338,6 @@
 	struct alternates_request alt_req;
 	struct walker_data *cdata = walker->data;
 
-	if (http_follow_config != HTTP_FOLLOW_ALWAYS)
-		return;
-
 	/*
 	 * If another request has already started fetching alternates,
 	 * wait for them to arrive and return to processing this request's