diff --git a/lightningd/subd.c b/lightningd/subd.c
index 744d61529..05e08c082 100644
--- a/lightningd/subd.c
+++ b/lightningd/subd.c
@@ -438,6 +438,8 @@ static bool handle_peer_error(struct subd *sd, const u8 *msg, int fds[1])
 
 	/* Don't free sd; we may be about to free channel. */
 	sd->channel = NULL;
+	/* While it's cleaning up, this is not a leak! */
+	notleak(sd);
 	sd->errcb(channel, peer_fd, desc, err_for_them, disconnect, warning);
 	return true;
 }
@@ -641,6 +643,8 @@ static void destroy_subd(struct subd *sd)
 
 		/* Clear any transient messages in billboard */
 		sd->billboardcb(channel, false, NULL);
+		/* While it's cleaning up, this is not a leak! */
+		notleak(sd);
 		sd->channel = NULL;
 
 		/* We can be freed both inside msg handling, or spontaneously. */
@@ -928,11 +932,6 @@ void subd_release_channel(struct subd *owner, const void *channel)
 		assert(owner->channel == channel);
 		owner->channel = NULL;
 		tal_free(owner);
-	} else {
-		/* Caller has reassigned channel->owner, so there's no pointer
-		 * to this subd owner while it's freeing itself.  If we
-		 * ask memleak right now, it will complain! */
-		notleak(owner);
 	}
 }