diff --git a/src/config_format/flb_cf_yaml.c b/src/config_format/flb_cf_yaml.c
index 5fc42bdcb1d..2a571e59ea9 100644
--- a/src/config_format/flb_cf_yaml.c
+++ b/src/config_format/flb_cf_yaml.c
@@ -2039,7 +2039,9 @@ static int read_config(struct flb_cf *conf, struct local_ctx *ctx,
     }
 
     yaml_parser_delete(&parser);
-    state_pop(ctx);
+
+    /* free all remaining states */
+    while (state = state_pop(ctx));
 
     fclose(fh);
     ctx->level--;