diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index c2bd0e4..8e1553e 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ uint64_t actionLoad () {
                     GL_RGB,              // Input image format (i.e. GL_RGB, GL_RGBA, GL_BGR etc.)
                     GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE,    // Image data type
                     image.ptr());        // The actual image data itself
+    image.release();
     auto localCurrentTime = steady_clock::now();
     auto localElapsedTime = duration_cast<milliseconds>(localCurrentTime - localStartTime).count();
     cout << "{ \"load_time\" : " << localElapsedTime << " }" << endl;
@@ -148,6 +149,7 @@ void loadBlank () {
                     GL_RGB,              // Input image format (i.e. GL_RGB, GL_RGBA, GL_BGR etc.)
                     GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE,    // Image data type
                     blank.ptr());        // The actual image data itself
+    blank.release();
 }
 
 void initImageTexture() {