diff --git a/src/server/simpleslave.c b/src/server/simpleslave.c
--- a/src/server/simpleslave.c
+++ b/src/server/simpleslave.c
@@ -186,6 +186,8 @@ if(updateConf){
   int benchmarkTime = 0;
   int renderPower = 0;
 
+  outputExt = NULL;
+
   // @TODO: create _web function to force recalc if !isset($render_power) on server
   if(runBenchmark)
     {
@@ -212,7 +214,7 @@ if(updateConf){
     // request work
     if(DEBUG)
       fprintf(stderr,"Requesting work from %s...\n", hostname);
-    haveWork = _web_getwork(slavekey, password, &jobnum, &framenum, &xres, &yres, outputExt);
+    haveWork = _web_getwork(slavekey, password, &jobnum, &framenum, &xres, &yres, &outputExt);
 
     /* If we got a frame */
     if(haveWork)
@@ -326,10 +328,11 @@ if(updateConf){
         // except for ones that couldn't be uploaded
         delete_jobdata(jobnum, datadir);
       }
+
+    free(outputExt);
   }
 
   free(my_cfg);
-  free(outputExt);
   free(datadir);
   free(urltoTar);
   free(pathtoTar);