diff --git a/taglib/mpeg/id3v1/id3v1tag.cpp b/taglib/mpeg/id3v1/id3v1tag.cpp
index dea197bb..3da68821 100644
--- a/taglib/mpeg/id3v1/id3v1tag.cpp
+++ b/taglib/mpeg/id3v1/id3v1tag.cpp
@@ -190,6 +190,9 @@ void ID3v1::Tag::setTrack(uint i)
 
 void ID3v1::Tag::setStringHandler(const StringHandler *handler)
 {
+  if (TagPrivate::stringHandler != &defaultStringHandler)
+    delete TagPrivate::stringHandler;
+
   TagPrivate::stringHandler = handler;
 }