diff --git a/mxqd.c b/mxqd.c
index 1519a92e..23ee106d 100644
--- a/mxqd.c
+++ b/mxqd.c
@@ -997,7 +997,7 @@ static void exec_reaper(struct mxq_server *server,struct mxq_group_list *glist,
         char *mxq_job_tmpdir = mx_asprintf_forever("%s/%lu", MXQ_JOB_TMPDIR_MNTDIR, job->job_id);
         mx_setenv_forever("MXQ_JOB_TMPDIR", mxq_job_tmpdir);
         mx_setenv_forever("TMPDIR", mxq_job_tmpdir);
-        free(mxq_job_tmpdir);
+        // not needed before exec() or exit(): free(mxq_job_tmpdir);
     }
     if (group->job_gpu) {
         char *argv[] = {
@@ -1013,9 +1013,7 @@ static void exec_reaper(struct mxq_server *server,struct mxq_group_list *glist,
             exit(1);
         }
         mx_setenv_forever("CUDA_VISIBLE_DEVICES", gpu_uuid);
-        free(gpu_uuid);
-        free(argv[2]);
-        free(argv[3]);
+        // not needed before exec() or exit(): free(gpu_uuid); free(argv[2]); free(argv[3]);
     }
 
     int fh = open("/proc/self/loginuid", O_WRONLY|O_TRUNC);
@@ -1124,6 +1122,7 @@ static void exec_reaper(struct mxq_server *server,struct mxq_group_list *glist,
     for (int i = 0; i < argc ; i++)
         new_argv[i+4] = argv[i];
     new_argv[argc+4] = NULL;
+    // not needed before exec() or exit: free(argv); free(argv[1]); free(argv[2]);
 
     if (setuid(0) == -1) {
         mx_log_err("job=%s(%d):%lu:%lu setuid(0) failed: %m",
@@ -1209,19 +1208,8 @@ static unsigned long start_job(struct mxq_group_list *glist)
         return 0;
     } else if (pid == 0) {
         job->host_pid = getpid();
-
         mx_log_debug("starting reaper process.");
-        mx_funlock_nodelete(server->flock);
-        server->flock = NULL;
-        mx_mysql_finish(&server->mysql);
-
         exec_reaper(server, glist, job);
-
-        mxq_job_free_content(job);
-
-        mx_log_debug("shutting down reaper, bye bye.");
-        mx_log_finish();
-        server_free(server);
         _exit(EX__MAX+1);
     }