diff --git a/fuzzing/color_conversion_fuzzer.cc b/fuzzing/color_conversion_fuzzer.cc
index c80acfd879..170ac6790c 100644
--- a/fuzzing/color_conversion_fuzzer.cc
+++ b/fuzzing/color_conversion_fuzzer.cc
@@ -256,6 +256,9 @@ extern "C" int LLVMFuzzerTestOneInput(const uint8_t* data, size_t size)
                                              nullptr,
                                              output_bpp,
                                              options->color_conversion_options);
+
+  heif_encoding_options_free(options);
+
   if (out_image_result.error) {
     // Conversion is not supported.
     return 0;
@@ -263,8 +266,6 @@ extern "C" int LLVMFuzzerTestOneInput(const uint8_t* data, size_t size)
 
   auto out_image = *out_image_result;
 
-  heif_encoding_options_free(options);
-
   assert(out_image->get_width() == width);
   assert(out_image->get_height() == height);
   assert(out_image->get_chroma_format() ==