diff --git a/sesman/config.c b/sesman/config.c
index 69ba1c18..0c169938 100644
--- a/sesman/config.c
+++ b/sesman/config.c
@@ -374,6 +374,7 @@ config_read_rdp_params(int file, struct config_sesman *cs, struct list *param_n,
     list_clear(param_n);
 
     cs->rdp_params = list_create();
+    cs->rdp_params->auto_free = 1;
 
     file_read_section(file, SESMAN_CFG_RDP_PARAMS, param_n, param_v);
 
@@ -404,6 +405,7 @@ config_read_xorg_params(int file, struct config_sesman *cs,
     list_clear(param_n);
 
     cs->xorg_params = list_create();
+    cs->xorg_params->auto_free = 1;
 
     file_read_section(file, SESMAN_CFG_XORG_PARAMS, param_n, param_v);
 
@@ -436,6 +438,7 @@ config_read_vnc_params(int file, struct config_sesman *cs, struct list *param_n,
     list_clear(param_n);
 
     cs->vnc_params = list_create();
+    cs->vnc_params->auto_free = 1;
 
     file_read_section(file, SESMAN_CFG_VNC_PARAMS, param_n, param_v);
 
@@ -466,7 +469,9 @@ config_read_session_variables(int file, struct config_sesman *cs,
     list_clear(param_n);
 
     cs->session_variables1 = list_create();
+    cs->session_variables1->auto_free = 1;
     cs->session_variables2 = list_create();
+    cs->session_variables2->auto_free = 1;
 
     file_read_section(file, SESMAN_CFG_SESSION_VARIABLES, param_n, param_v);
 
@@ -490,3 +495,14 @@ config_read_session_variables(int file, struct config_sesman *cs,
 
     return 0;
 }
+
+void
+config_free(struct config_sesman *cs)
+{
+    list_delete(cs->rdp_params);
+    list_delete(cs->vnc_params);
+    list_delete(cs->xorg_params);
+    list_delete(cs->session_variables1);
+    list_delete(cs->session_variables2);
+    g_free(cs);
+}
diff --git a/sesman/config.h b/sesman/config.h
index 14fc4f98..2baef632 100644
--- a/sesman/config.h
+++ b/sesman/config.h
@@ -356,4 +356,7 @@ int DEFAULT_CC
 config_read_session_variables(int file, struct config_sesman *cs,
                               struct list *param_n, struct list *param_v);
 
+void
+config_free(struct config_sesman *cs);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/sesman/sig.c b/sesman/sig.c
index 13f9c46c..579b5876 100644
--- a/sesman/sig.c
+++ b/sesman/sig.c
@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@ sig_sesman_reload_cfg(int sig)
     /* stop logging subsystem */
     log_end();
 
+    /* free old config data */
+    config_free(g_cfg);
+
     /* replace old config with newly read one */
     g_cfg = cfg;