diff --git a/code/nel/src/misc/i_xml.cpp b/code/nel/src/misc/i_xml.cpp
index 8a624dd5f..ee3f39a89 100644
--- a/code/nel/src/misc/i_xml.cpp
+++ b/code/nel/src/misc/i_xml.cpp
@@ -128,6 +128,10 @@ CIXml::~CIXml ()
 {
 	// Release
 	release ();
+
+#ifdef USE_LOCALE_ATOF
+	if (_Locale) _free_locale((_locale_t)_Locale);
+#endif
 }
 
 // ***************************************************************************
@@ -154,11 +158,6 @@ void CIXml::release ()
 	_ErrorString = "";
 
 	resetPtrTable();
-
-#ifdef USE_LOCALE_ATOF
-	if (_Locale) _free_locale((_locale_t)_Locale);
-	_Locale = NULL;
-#endif
 }
 
 // ***************************************************************************