diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 029841f..8f1d27f 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ corrections:
  
 	UDP-LISTEN slept 1s after accepting a connection. This is not required.
 	Thanks to Peter Valdemar Morch for reporting this issue
+ 
+	fixed a bug that could lead to error or socat crash after a client
+	connection with option retry had been established
 
 	docu mentions option so-bindtodev but correct name is so-bindtodevice. 
 	Thanks to Jim Zimmerman for reporting.
diff --git a/xioopts.c b/xioopts.c
index e1270d0..b038112 100644
--- a/xioopts.c
+++ b/xioopts.c
@@ -4153,9 +4153,8 @@ int _xio_openlate(struct single *xfd, struct opt *opts) {
 int dropopts(struct opt *opts, unsigned int phase) {
    struct opt *opt;
 
-   /*!*/
    if (phase == PH_ALL) {
-      free(opts);
+      opts[0].desc = ODESC_END;
       return 0;
    }
    opt = opts; while (opt && opt->desc != ODESC_END) {