diff --git a/dirmngr/crlcache.c b/dirmngr/crlcache.c
index d4c3dcb2a..a0a51045c 100644
--- a/dirmngr/crlcache.c
+++ b/dirmngr/crlcache.c
@@ -2525,6 +2525,9 @@ crl_cache_reload_crl (ctrl_t ctrl, ksba_cert_t cert)
       issuername_uri =  ksba_name_get_uri (issuername, 0);
       ksba_name_release (issuername); issuername = NULL;
 
+      /* Close the reader.  */
+      crl_close_reader (reader);
+      reader = NULL;
     }
   if (gpg_err_code (err) == GPG_ERR_EOF)
     err = 0;
@@ -2535,11 +2538,8 @@ crl_cache_reload_crl (ctrl_t ctrl, ksba_cert_t cert)
       if (opt.verbose)
         log_info ("no distribution point - trying issuer name\n");
 
-      if (reader)
-        {
-          crl_close_reader (reader);
-          reader = NULL;
-        }
+      crl_close_reader (reader);
+      reader = NULL;
 
       issuer = ksba_cert_get_issuer (cert, 0);
       if (!issuer)
@@ -2571,8 +2571,7 @@ crl_cache_reload_crl (ctrl_t ctrl, ksba_cert_t cert)
     }
 
  leave:
-  if (reader)
-    crl_close_reader (reader);
+  crl_close_reader (reader);
   xfree (distpoint_uri);
   xfree (issuername_uri);
   ksba_name_release (distpoint);
diff --git a/dirmngr/ldap-wrapper.c b/dirmngr/ldap-wrapper.c
index 0dcc7baf5..a54e40523 100644
--- a/dirmngr/ldap-wrapper.c
+++ b/dirmngr/ldap-wrapper.c
@@ -325,8 +325,6 @@ ldap_wrapper_thread (void *dummy)
             {
               if (read_log_data (ctx))
                 {
-                  ksba_reader_release (ctx->reader);
-                  ctx->reader = NULL;
                   SAFE_CLOSE (ctx->log_fd);
                   any_action = 1;
                 }