diff --git a/cde/programs/dtcm/dtcm/format.c b/cde/programs/dtcm/dtcm/format.c
index 474567656..6c7c3f2dd 100644
--- a/cde/programs/dtcm/dtcm/format.c
+++ b/cde/programs/dtcm/dtcm/format.c
@@ -420,6 +420,9 @@ format_abbrev_appt(Dtcm_appointment *appt, char *b, Boolean show_am,
         lines = text_to_lines(appt->what->value->item.string_value, 1);
         if (lines != NULL && lines->s != NULL) {
                 (void) cm_strcat(b, lines->s);
+        }
+
+        if(lines != NULL) {
                 destroy_lines(lines);
         }
 }