diff --git a/backend.c b/backend.c
index 5f0740395b..b21c36640e 100644
--- a/backend.c
+++ b/backend.c
@@ -2494,10 +2494,7 @@ static void run_threads(struct sk_out *sk_out)
 							strerror(ret));
 			} else {
 				pid_t pid;
-				void *eo;
 				dprint(FD_PROCESS, "will fork\n");
-				eo = td->eo;
-				read_barrier();
 				pid = fork();
 				if (!pid) {
 					int ret;
@@ -2506,7 +2503,6 @@ static void run_threads(struct sk_out *sk_out)
 					_exit(ret);
 				} else if (__td_index == fio_debug_jobno)
 					*fio_debug_jobp = pid;
-				free(eo);
 				free(fd);
 				fd = NULL;
 			}
diff --git a/ioengines.c b/ioengines.c
index 361727250e..fd8c9d1a65 100644
--- a/ioengines.c
+++ b/ioengines.c
@@ -238,7 +238,8 @@ void free_ioengine(struct thread_data *td)
 	if (td->eo && td->io_ops->options) {
 		options_free(td->io_ops->options, td->eo);
 		free(td->eo);
-		td->eo = NULL;
+		if (td->o.use_thread)
+			td->eo = NULL;
 	}
 
 	if (td->io_ops->dlhandle) {
diff --git a/options.c b/options.c
index 48aa0d7b1c..9432a0fbdf 100644
--- a/options.c
+++ b/options.c
@@ -5829,9 +5829,9 @@ void fio_options_free(struct thread_data *td)
 	options_free(fio_options, &td->o);
 	if (td->eo && td->io_ops && td->io_ops->options) {
 		options_free(td->io_ops->options, td->eo);
-		free(td->eo);
-		td->eo = NULL;
 	}
+	free(td->eo);
+	td->eo = NULL;
 }
 
 void fio_dump_options_free(struct thread_data *td)