diff --git a/types.go b/types.go
index 784bc17f..c47f1538 100644
--- a/types.go
+++ b/types.go
@@ -538,6 +538,11 @@ func zendArrayRelease(p unsafe.Pointer) {
 	C.zend_array_release((*C.zend_array)(p))
 }
 
+// used in tests for cleanup
+func efree(p unsafe.Pointer) {
+	C.__efree__(p)
+}
+
 // EXPERIMENTAL: CallPHPCallable executes a PHP callable with the given parameters.
 // Returns the result of the callable as a Go interface{}, or nil if the call failed.
 func CallPHPCallable(cb unsafe.Pointer, params []interface{}) interface{} {
diff --git a/types_test.go b/types_test.go
index f5e33537..41df2530 100644
--- a/types_test.go
+++ b/types_test.go
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ func BenchmarkBool(b *testing.B) {
 	benchOnPHPThread(b, b.N, func() {
 		phpBool := PHPValue(true)
 		_, _ = GoValue[bool](phpBool)
+		efree(phpBool)
 	})
 }
 
@@ -176,6 +177,7 @@ func BenchmarkInt(b *testing.B) {
 	benchOnPHPThread(b, b.N, func() {
 		phpInt := PHPValue(int64(42))
 		_, _ = GoValue[int64](phpInt)
+		efree(phpInt)
 	})
 }
 
@@ -183,6 +185,7 @@ func BenchmarkFloat(b *testing.B) {
 	benchOnPHPThread(b, b.N, func() {
 		phpFloat := PHPValue(3.14)
 		_, _ = GoValue[float64](phpFloat)
+		efree(phpFloat)
 	})
 }