diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-10-17-23-58-11.gh-issue-140272.lhY8uS.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-10-17-23-58-11.gh-issue-140272.lhY8uS.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..666a45055f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2025-10-17-23-58-11.gh-issue-140272.lhY8uS.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix memory leak in the :meth:`!clear` method of the :mod:`dbm.gnu` database.
diff --git a/Modules/_gdbmmodule.c b/Modules/_gdbmmodule.c
index ea4fe247987..3fe08004790 100644
--- a/Modules/_gdbmmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_gdbmmodule.c
@@ -612,8 +612,10 @@ _gdbm_gdbm_clear_impl(gdbmobject *self, PyTypeObject *cls)
         }
         if (gdbm_delete(self->di_dbm, key) < 0) {
             PyErr_SetString(state->gdbm_error, "cannot delete item from database");
+            free(key.dptr);
             return NULL;
         }
+        free(key.dptr);
     }
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }