diff --git a/src/detect-engine.c b/src/detect-engine.c
index 485d691c11..6aef3d4efe 100644
--- a/src/detect-engine.c
+++ b/src/detect-engine.c
@@ -4606,6 +4606,8 @@ int DetectEngineMTApply(void)
 
     /* walk free list, freeing the old_de_ctx */
     DetectEnginePruneFreeList();
+    // needed for VarNameStoreFree
+    DetectEngineBumpVersion();
 
     SCLogDebug("old_de_ctx should have been freed");
     return 0;