diff --git a/helper/ccnx-decoding-helper.cc b/helper/ccnx-decoding-helper.cc
index 52061ab..54f636b 100644
--- a/helper/ccnx-decoding-helper.cc
+++ b/helper/ccnx-decoding-helper.cc
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@
   Ptr<CcnbParser::Block> root = CcnbParser::Block::ParseBlock (i);
   root->accept (interestVisitor, &interest);
 
+  root = 0;
+  
   return i.GetDistanceFrom (start);
 }