diff --git a/tools/gpg-connect-agent.c b/tools/gpg-connect-agent.c
index 90f54a44d..2bea98d8d 100644
--- a/tools/gpg-connect-agent.c
+++ b/tools/gpg-connect-agent.c
@@ -2081,11 +2081,6 @@ start_agent (void)
   assuan_context_t ctx;
   session_env_t session_env;
 
-  session_env = session_env_new ();
-  if (!session_env)
-    log_fatal ("error allocating session environment block: %s\n",
-               strerror (errno));
-
   infostr = getenv ("GPG_AGENT_INFO");
   if (!infostr || !*infostr)
     {
@@ -2174,8 +2169,14 @@ start_agent (void)
       exit (1);
     }
 
+  session_env = session_env_new ();
+  if (!session_env)
+    log_fatal ("error allocating session environment block: %s\n",
+               strerror (errno));
+
   rc = send_pinentry_environment (ctx, GPG_ERR_SOURCE_DEFAULT,
                                   NULL, NULL, session_env);
+  session_env_release (session_env);
   if (rc)
     {
       log_error (_("error sending standard options: %s\n"), gpg_strerror (rc));