diff --git a/src/tcp.c b/src/tcp.c
index 001c4709..a97b079b 100644
--- a/src/tcp.c
+++ b/src/tcp.c
@@ -185,16 +185,12 @@ tcp_write_queue(int fd, htsbuf_queue_t *q)
   void *p;
 
   while((hd = TAILQ_FIRST(&q->hq_q)) != NULL) {
-    TAILQ_REMOVE(&q->hq_q, hd, hd_link);
-
     if (!r) {
       l = hd->hd_data_len - hd->hd_data_off;
       p = hd->hd_data + hd->hd_data_off;
       r = tvh_write(fd, p, l);
     }
-
-    free(hd->hd_data);
-    free(hd);
+    htsbuf_data_free(q, hd);
   }
   q->hq_size = 0;
   return r;