diff --git a/src/http/ngx_http_request.c b/src/http/ngx_http_request.c
index 5887376d4..37efb2a52 100644
--- a/src/http/ngx_http_request.c
+++ b/src/http/ngx_http_request.c
@@ -3343,10 +3343,15 @@ ngx_http_free_request(ngx_http_request_t *r, ngx_int_t rc)
         return;
     }
 
-    for (cln = r->cleanup; cln; cln = cln->next) {
+    cln = r->cleanup;
+    r->cleanup = NULL;
+
+    while (cln) {
         if (cln->handler) {
             cln->handler(cln->data);
         }
+
+        cln = cln->next;
     }
 
 #if (NGX_STAT_STUB)