diff --git a/builtin/bisect--helper.c b/builtin/bisect--helper.c
index 1fbe156..3055b2b 100644
--- a/builtin/bisect--helper.c
+++ b/builtin/bisect--helper.c
@@ -169,11 +169,12 @@
 
 		argv_array_pushl(&argv, "checkout", branch.buf, "--", NULL);
 		if (run_command_v_opt(argv.argv, RUN_GIT_CMD)) {
+			error(_("could not check out original"
+				" HEAD '%s'. Try 'git bisect"
+				" reset <commit>'."), branch.buf);
 			strbuf_release(&branch);
 			argv_array_clear(&argv);
-			return error(_("could not check out original"
-				       " HEAD '%s'. Try 'git bisect"
-				       " reset <commit>'."), branch.buf);
+			return -1;
 		}
 		argv_array_clear(&argv);
 	}