diff --git a/src/lib/tvgPaint.cpp b/src/lib/tvgPaint.cpp
index f52a0ffe..60e3bfdd 100644
--- a/src/lib/tvgPaint.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/tvgPaint.cpp
@@ -353,7 +353,9 @@ Paint* Paint::duplicate() const noexcept
 
 Result Paint::composite(std::unique_ptr<Paint> target, CompositeMethod method) noexcept
 {
-    if (pImpl->composite(target.release(), method)) return Result::Success;
+    auto p = target.release();
+    if (pImpl->composite(p, method)) return Result::Success;
+    if (p) delete(p);
     return Result::InvalidArguments;
 }
 
diff --git a/test/capi/capiPaint.cpp b/test/capi/capiPaint.cpp
index d8feff2b..8cbb102f 100644
--- a/test/capi/capiPaint.cpp
+++ b/test/capi/capiPaint.cpp
@@ -216,18 +216,24 @@ TEST_CASE("Paint Clip Path Composite Method", "[capiPaint]")
     REQUIRE(target);
 
     REQUIRE(tvg_paint_set_composite_method(paint, NULL, TVG_COMPOSITE_METHOD_NONE) == TVG_RESULT_SUCCESS);
-    REQUIRE(tvg_paint_set_composite_method(paint, target, TVG_COMPOSITE_METHOD_NONE) == TVG_RESULT_INVALID_ARGUMENT);
+
+    Tvg_Paint* target2 = tvg_shape_new();
+    REQUIRE(target2);
+    REQUIRE(tvg_paint_set_composite_method(paint, target2, TVG_COMPOSITE_METHOD_NONE) == TVG_RESULT_INVALID_ARGUMENT);
 
     REQUIRE(tvg_paint_set_composite_method(paint, NULL, TVG_COMPOSITE_METHOD_CLIP_PATH) == TVG_RESULT_INVALID_ARGUMENT);
-    REQUIRE(tvg_paint_set_composite_method(paint, target, TVG_COMPOSITE_METHOD_CLIP_PATH) == TVG_RESULT_SUCCESS);
 
-    const Tvg_Paint* target2 = nullptr;
+    Tvg_Paint* target3 = tvg_shape_new();
+    REQUIRE(target3);
+    REQUIRE(tvg_paint_set_composite_method(paint, target3, TVG_COMPOSITE_METHOD_CLIP_PATH) == TVG_RESULT_SUCCESS);
+
+    const Tvg_Paint* target4 = nullptr;
     Tvg_Composite_Method method = TVG_COMPOSITE_METHOD_NONE;
     REQUIRE(tvg_paint_get_composite_method(paint, NULL, &method) == TVG_RESULT_INVALID_ARGUMENT);
-    REQUIRE(tvg_paint_get_composite_method(paint, &target2, NULL) == TVG_RESULT_INVALID_ARGUMENT);
-    REQUIRE(tvg_paint_get_composite_method(paint, &target2, &method) == TVG_RESULT_SUCCESS);
+    REQUIRE(tvg_paint_get_composite_method(paint, &target4, NULL) == TVG_RESULT_INVALID_ARGUMENT);
+    REQUIRE(tvg_paint_get_composite_method(paint, &target4, &method) == TVG_RESULT_SUCCESS);
     REQUIRE(method == TVG_COMPOSITE_METHOD_CLIP_PATH);
-    REQUIRE(target == target2);
+    REQUIRE(target3 == target4);
 
     REQUIRE(tvg_paint_del(paint) == TVG_RESULT_SUCCESS);
 }