diff --git a/SOURCES/0002-mem-leak-verbose.patch b/SOURCES/0002-mem-leak-verbose.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2341c4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/SOURCES/0002-mem-leak-verbose.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+diff -ruNp a/src/run-as-child.c b/src/run-as-child.c
+--- a/src/run-as-child.c	2021-10-14 08:17:04.556107815 +0200
++++ b/src/run-as-child.c	2021-10-14 08:36:23.686706344 +0200
+@@ -98,8 +98,14 @@ int exec_as_func(int flags, void *ptr)
+ 			/* Create single string with all command line options. */
+ 			int ii = 1;
+ 			char *opt = strdup(":");
++            char *tempOpt;
+ 			while (opt != NULL && arg[ii] != NULL) {
+-				opt = realloc(opt, strlen(opt) + strlen(arg[ii]) + 2);
++				tempOpt = realloc(opt, strlen(opt) + strlen(arg[ii]) + 2);
++                if (tempOpt != NULL){
++                    opt = tempOpt;
++                } else {
++                    break;
++                }
+ 				opt = strcat(opt, " ");
+ 				opt = strcat(opt, arg[ii]);
+ 				ii++;
diff --git a/SPECS/watchdog.spec b/SPECS/watchdog.spec
index 2b01a81..3659937 100644
--- a/SPECS/watchdog.spec
+++ b/SPECS/watchdog.spec
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Summary:          Software and/or Hardware watchdog daemon
 Name:             watchdog
 Version:          5.16
-Release:          1%{?dist}
+Release:          2%{?dist}
 License:          GPLv2+
 
 URL:              http://sourceforge.net/projects/watchdog/
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ Source5:          watchdog-ping.service
 
 # Fixes building on glibc without RPC.  Sent upstream 2019-02-06.
 Patch1:           0001-Choose-libtirpc-or-another-RPC-library-for-XDR-heade.patch
+# Fixes potentional mem leak
+Patch2:           0002-mem-leak-verbose.patch
 
 # Non-upstream patch to document SELinux support.
 Patch99:          0099-watchdog-5.16-rhseldoc.patch
@@ -49,6 +51,7 @@ expiration) initiated by the BMC.
 %prep
 %setup -q -n %{name}-%{version}
 %patch1 -p1
+%patch2 -p1
 %patch99 -p1 -b .rhseldoc
 autoreconf -i
 
@@ -124,6 +127,9 @@ rm %{name}.sysconfig
 
 
 %changelog
+* Thu Oct 14 2021 Josef Ridky <jridky@redhat.com> - 5.16-2
+- fix memory leak when verbose mode is on (#1997755)
+
 * Tue Aug 10 2021 Josef Ridky <jridky@redhat.com> - 5.16-1
 - New upstream release 5.16