diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/fn_with_return_should_free_local_vars.vv b/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/fn_with_return_should_free_local_vars.vv
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..669371c908
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/fn_with_return_should_free_local_vars.vv
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+fn many_strings() []string {
+	mut res := []string{}
+    for i in 0..10000 { res << '${i:05}' }
+    return res
+}
+
+fn abc() int {
+	x := many_strings()
+    n := x.len
+    // NB: the local `x` is no longer used
+    // it should be freed *before* the return
+	return n
+}
+
+fn main() {
+	for i in 0..5 {
+		nstrings := abc()
+		eprintln('nstrings ${i:10}: $nstrings')
+	}
+}
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/valgrind_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/valgrind_test.v
index 1865d942cb..2d5c89f568 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/valgrind_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/valgrind/valgrind_test.v
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ const (
 	skip_valgrind_files = [
 		'vlib/v/tests/valgrind/struct_field.vv',
 		'vlib/v/tests/valgrind/fn_returning_string_param.vv',
+		'vlib/v/tests/valgrind/fn_with_return_should_free_local_vars.vv',
 	]
 )