diff --git a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
index 7f45b032e..ad452ac9f 100644
--- a/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
+++ b/doc/fixes3-7-0.txt
@@ -1812,6 +1812,7 @@ mdisplacem stoning and gloves had test backwards (pr #773 by entrez)
 writing type-named scrolls (pr #551 by entrez)
 more cases where newcham() gives messages (pr #775 by copperwater)
 lua fix contributed by ToxicFrog
+fix memory leaks related to selection_new() (pr #782 by argrath)
 
 
 Code Cleanup and Reorganization
diff --git a/src/sp_lev.c b/src/sp_lev.c
index ac8b6bddb..e47fa92da 100644
--- a/src/sp_lev.c
+++ b/src/sp_lev.c
@@ -4369,11 +4369,13 @@ struct selectionvar *
 selection_filter_mapchar(struct selectionvar* ov,  xchar typ, int lit)
 {
     int x, y;
-    struct selectionvar *ret = selection_new();
+    struct selectionvar *ret;
 
-    if (!ov || !ret)
+    if (!ov)
         return NULL;
 
+    ret = selection_new();
+
     for (x = 1; x < ret->wid; x++)
         for (y = 0; y < ret->hei; y++)
             if (selection_getpoint(x, y, ov)
@@ -4452,11 +4454,13 @@ void
 selection_do_grow(struct selectionvar* ov, int dir)
 {
     int x, y;
-    struct selectionvar *tmp = selection_new();
+    struct selectionvar *tmp;
 
-    if (!ov || !tmp)
+    if (!ov)
         return;
 
+    tmp = selection_new();
+
     if (dir == W_RANDOM)
         dir = random_wdir();