diff --git a/kpatch-build/create-diff-object.c b/kpatch-build/create-diff-object.c
index a24927f..0cd4ea8 100644
--- a/kpatch-build/create-diff-object.c
+++ b/kpatch-build/create-diff-object.c
@@ -2482,7 +2482,7 @@ static struct sym_compare_type *kpatch_elf_locals(struct kpatch_elf *kelf)
 			continue;
 
 		sym_array[i].type = sym->type;
-		sym_array[i++].name = sym->name;
+		sym_array[i++].name = strdup(sym->name);
 	}
 	sym_array[i].type = 0;
 	sym_array[i].name = NULL;
@@ -3229,7 +3229,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	struct symbol *sym;
 	char *hint = NULL, *orig_obj, *patched_obj, *parent_name;
 	char *parent_symtab, *mod_symvers, *patch_name, *output_obj;
-	struct sym_compare_type *base_locals;
+	struct sym_compare_type *base_locals, *sym_comp;
 
 	arguments.debug = 0;
 	argp_parse (&argp, argc, argv, 0, NULL, &arguments);
@@ -3263,7 +3263,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	list_for_each_entry(sym, &kelf_base->symbols, list) {
 		if (sym->type == STT_FILE) {
-			hint = sym->name;
+			hint = strdup(sym->name);
 			break;
 		}
 	}
@@ -3272,10 +3272,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		return EXIT_STATUS_NO_CHANGE;
 	}
 
-	/* create symbol lookup table */
 	base_locals = kpatch_elf_locals(kelf_base);
-	lookup = lookup_open(parent_symtab, mod_symvers, hint, base_locals);
-	free(base_locals);
 
 	kpatch_mark_grouped_sections(kelf_patched);
 	kpatch_replace_sections_syms(kelf_base);
@@ -3332,6 +3329,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	 */
 	kpatch_elf_teardown(kelf_patched);
 
+	/* create symbol lookup table */
+	lookup = lookup_open(parent_symtab, mod_symvers, hint, base_locals);
+	for (sym_comp = base_locals; sym_comp->name; sym_comp++) {
+		free(sym_comp->name);
+	}
+	free(base_locals);
+	free(hint);
+
 	/* create strings, patches, and dynrelas sections */
 	kpatch_create_strings_elements(kelf_out);
 	kpatch_create_patches_sections(kelf_out, lookup, parent_name);