diff --git a/src/buffer.c b/src/buffer.c
index 1eb23a32462e6717bd0c04e79485fcdb32df2ead..993e14d34b0c3ca3237f5c60967d1d3cfcbe8ae9 100644
--- a/src/buffer.c
+++ b/src/buffer.c
@@ -1721,6 +1721,7 @@ free_buf_options(buf, free_p_ff)
     clear_string_option(&buf->b_p_nf);
 #ifdef FEAT_SYN_HL
     clear_string_option(&buf->b_p_syn);
+    clear_string_option(&buf->b_p_spl);
 #endif
 #ifdef FEAT_SEARCHPATH
     clear_string_option(&buf->b_p_sua);