diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 7ab1c94e6..dd197c779 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -4159,15 +4159,15 @@ quit_curl:
   if (config->engine)
     free(config->engine);
 
+  /* cleanup the curl handle! */
+  curl_easy_cleanup(curl);
+
   if(config->headerfile && !headerfilep && heads.stream)
     fclose(heads.stream);
 
   if(allocuseragent)
     free(config->useragent);
 
-  /* cleanup the curl handle! */
-  curl_easy_cleanup(curl);
-
   if(config->trace_fopened && config->trace_stream)
     fclose(config->trace_stream);