diff --git a/src/image.zig b/src/image.zig
index 51c1eef..46acb24 100644
--- a/src/image.zig
+++ b/src/image.zig
@@ -179,17 +179,20 @@ pub const Image = struct {
     }
 
     pub fn close(self: *Image) void {
-        self.allocator.free(self.path);
-        self.allocator.free(self.curpath);
-
         var st: i32 = c.sf_close(self.sndfile);
-
         if (st != 0) {
             std.debug.warn("Failed to close {} ({})\n", .{
                 self.path,
                 c.sf_error_number(st),
             });
         }
+
+        self.allocator.free(self.path);
+        self.allocator.free(self.curpath);
+
+        var allocator = self.allocator;
+        self.* = undefined;
+        allocator.destroy(self);
     }
 
     pub fn read(self: *Image, file_chans: c_int, buf: []f32) bool {
diff --git a/src/runner.zig b/src/runner.zig
index 47f2cab..442068d 100644
--- a/src/runner.zig
+++ b/src/runner.zig
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ pub const Runner = struct {
         // we don't copy load_path into a temporary file because we're already
         // loading it under the SFM_READ mode, which won't cause any destructive
         // operations on the file.
+        if (self.image) |image| image.close();
         self.image = try Image.open(self.allocator, load_path);
     }