diff --git a/cgminer.c b/cgminer.c
index fc2090d3..04da7790 100644
--- a/cgminer.c
+++ b/cgminer.c
@@ -4737,14 +4737,13 @@ static void *stratum_thread(void *userdata)
 			applog(LOG_INFO, "Unknown stratum msg: %s", s);
 		free(s);
 		if (pool->swork.clean) {
-			struct work work;
-			memset(&work, 0, sizeof(work));
+			struct work *work = make_work();
 
 			/* Generate a single work item to update the current
 			 * block database */
 			pool->swork.clean = false;
-			gen_stratum_work(pool, &work);
-			if (test_work_current(&work)) {
+			gen_stratum_work(pool, work);
+			if (test_work_current(work)) {
 				/* Only accept a work restart if this stratum
 				 * connection is from the current pool */
 				if (pool == current_pool()) {
@@ -4753,8 +4752,8 @@ static void *stratum_thread(void *userdata)
 				}
 			} else
 				applog(LOG_NOTICE, "Stratum from pool %d detected new block", pool->pool_no);
+			free_work(work);
 		}
-
 	}
 
 out:
@@ -5936,8 +5935,8 @@ static bool pool_getswork(struct pool *pool)
 	gettimeofday(&tv_getwork_reply, NULL);
 
 	if (val) {
-		struct work work;
-		bool rc = work_decode(pool, &work, val);
+		struct work *work = make_work();
+		bool rc = work_decode(pool, work, val);
 
 		if (rc) {
 			applog(LOG_DEBUG, "Successfully retrieved and deciphered work from pool %u %s",
@@ -5949,6 +5948,7 @@ static bool pool_getswork(struct pool *pool)
 			       pool->pool_no, pool->rpc_url);
 		}
 		json_decref(val);
+		free_work(work);
 	} else {
 		applog(LOG_DEBUG, "FAILED to retrieve pool_getswork work from pool %u %s",
 		       pool->pool_no, pool->rpc_url);