diff --git a/src/kernels.jl b/src/kernels.jl
index 13e2283..522d80b 100644
--- a/src/kernels.jl
+++ b/src/kernels.jl
@@ -37,13 +37,21 @@ function transduce_impl(rf::F, init, arrays...) where {F}
     end
     # @info "ys, = _transduce!(nothing, rf, ...)" Text(summary(ys))
     # @info "ys, = _transduce!(nothing, rf, ...)" collect(ys)
-    length(ys) == 1 && return @allowscalar ys[1]
+    if length(ys) == 1
+        y = @allowscalar ys[1]
+        CUDA.unsafe_free!(parent(dest))
+        return y
+    end
     rf2 = AlwaysCombine(rf)
     while true
         ys, = _transduce!(buf, rf2, CombineInit(), ys)
         # @info "ys, = _transduce!(buf, rf2, ...)" Text(summary(ys))
         # @info "ys, = _transduce!(buf, rf2, ...)" collect(ys)
-        length(ys) == 1 && return @allowscalar ys[1]
+        if length(ys) == 1
+            y = @allowscalar ys[1]
+            CUDA.unsafe_free!(parent(dest))
+            return y
+        end
         dest, buf = buf, dest
         # reusing buffer; is it useful?
     end
diff --git a/src/shfl.jl b/src/shfl.jl
index 4a70051..c9975c1 100644
--- a/src/shfl.jl
+++ b/src/shfl.jl
@@ -42,13 +42,21 @@ function transduce_shfl_impl(rf::F, init, arrays...) where {F}
     end
     # @info "ys, = transduce_shfl!(nothing, rf, ...)" Text(summary(ys))
     # @info "ys, = transduce_shfl!(nothing, rf, ...)" collect(ys)
-    length(ys) == 1 && return @allowscalar ys[1]
+    if length(ys) == 1
+        y = @allowscalar ys[1]
+        CUDA.unsafe_free!(parent(dest))
+        return y
+    end
     rf2 = AlwaysCombine(rf)
     while true
         ys, = transduce_shfl!(buf, rf2, init, ys)
         # @info "ys, = transduce_shfl!(buf, rf2, ...)" Text(summary(ys))
         # @info "ys, = transduce_shfl!(buf, rf2, ...)" collect(ys)
-        length(ys) == 1 && return @allowscalar ys[1]
+        if length(ys) == 1
+            y = @allowscalar ys[1]
+            CUDA.unsafe_free!(parent(dest))
+            return y
+        end
         dest, buf = buf, dest
         # reusing buffer; is it useful?
     end