diff --git a/lib/config.cc b/lib/config.cc
index efab01e4..0b760dbc 100644
--- a/lib/config.cc
+++ b/lib/config.cc
@@ -133,8 +133,15 @@ notmuch_database_get_config_list (notmuch_database_t *notmuch,
     *out = list;
 
   DONE:
-    if (status && list)
-	talloc_free (list);
+    if (status) {
+	if (list) {
+	    talloc_free (list);
+	    if (status != NOTMUCH_STATUS_XAPIAN_EXCEPTION)
+		_notmuch_config_list_destroy (list);
+	}
+    }  else {
+	talloc_set_destructor (list, _notmuch_config_list_destroy);
+    }
 
     return status;
 }