diff --git a/examples/COUPLE/plugin/simple.c b/examples/COUPLE/plugin/simple.c
index 535086f7ad..9151f92848 100644
--- a/examples/COUPLE/plugin/simple.c
+++ b/examples/COUPLE/plugin/simple.c
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ int main(int narg, char **arg)
 
     double *fx = (double *) plugin->extract_variable(lmp,"fx",(char *)"all");
     printf("Force on 1 atom via extract_variable: %g\n",fx[0]);
+    plugin->free(fx);
   }
 
   /* use commands_string() and commands_list() to invoke more commands */
diff --git a/examples/COUPLE/simple/simple.c b/examples/COUPLE/simple/simple.c
index 603ff270b7..096460a3ae 100644
--- a/examples/COUPLE/simple/simple.c
+++ b/examples/COUPLE/simple/simple.c
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ int main(int narg, char **arg)
 
     double *fx = (double *) lammps_extract_variable(lmp,"fx","all");
     printf("Force on 1 atom via extract_variable: %g\n",fx[0]);
+    lammps_free(fx);
   }
 
   /* use commands_string() and commands_list() to invoke more commands */
diff --git a/examples/COUPLE/simple/simple.cpp b/examples/COUPLE/simple/simple.cpp
index c05266975e..f17a9d17da 100644
--- a/examples/COUPLE/simple/simple.cpp
+++ b/examples/COUPLE/simple/simple.cpp
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ int main(int narg, char **arg)
     double *fx = (double *) 
       lammps_extract_variable(lmp,(char *) "fx",(char *) "all");
     printf("Force on 1 atom via extract_variable: %g\n",fx[0]);
+    lammps_free(fx);
   }
 
   // use commands_string() and commands_list() to invoke more commands