diff --git a/lib/libalpm/handle.c b/lib/libalpm/handle.c
index d4ebe82a..34893fc6 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/handle.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/handle.c
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ void _alpm_handle_free(pmhandle_t *handle)
 		closelog();
 	}
 
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBCURL
+	/* release curl handle */
+	curl_easy_cleanup(handle->curl);
+#endif
+
 	/* free memory */
 	_alpm_trans_free(handle->trans);
 	FREE(handle->root);
@@ -85,6 +90,7 @@ void _alpm_handle_free(pmhandle_t *handle)
 	FREELIST(handle->ignorepkg);
 	FREELIST(handle->ignoregrp);
 	FREE(handle);
+
 }
 
 alpm_cb_log SYMEXPORT alpm_option_get_logcb()
diff --git a/lib/libalpm/handle.h b/lib/libalpm/handle.h
index 2d962fe6..de2dfa1a 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/handle.h
+++ b/lib/libalpm/handle.h
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@
 #include "alpm.h"
 #include "trans.h"
 
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBCURL
+#include <curl/curl.h>
+#endif
+
 typedef struct _pmhandle_t {
 	/* internal usage */
 	pmdb_t *db_local;       /* local db pointer */
@@ -37,6 +41,12 @@ typedef struct _pmhandle_t {
 	FILE *lckstream;        /* lock file stream pointer if one exists */
 	pmtrans_t *trans;
 
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBCURL
+	/* libcurl handle */
+	CURL *curl;             /* reusable curl_easy handle */
+	CURLcode curlerr;       /* last error produced by curl */
+#endif
+
 	/* callback functions */
 	alpm_cb_log logcb;      /* Log callback function */
 	alpm_cb_download dlcb;  /* Download callback function */