diff --git a/nano-8.1-fix-leak-after-linter-failure.patch b/nano-8.1-fix-leak-after-linter-failure.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..51279ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nano-8.1-fix-leak-after-linter-failure.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+From 7fd38e88c12133859f48ca3191fe341795401982 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
+From: Lukáš Zaoral <lzaoral@redhat.com>
+Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2024 10:01:07 +0100
+Subject: memory: avoid a leak when linter aborts after producing parsable
+ output
+
+Any collected messages should be freed also after an
+abnormal exit of the linter.
+
+Buglet existed since version 2.4.1, commit f225991b.
+---
+ src/text.c | 7 +++++++
+ 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+)
+
+diff --git a/src/text.c b/src/text.c
+index e924e818..5ac9d4ca 100644
+--- a/src/text.c
++++ b/src/text.c
+@@ -2755,6 +2755,13 @@ void do_linter(void)
+ 
+ 	if (!WIFEXITED(lint_status) || WEXITSTATUS(lint_status) > 2) {
+ 		statusline(ALERT, _("Error invoking '%s'"), openfile->syntax->linter);
++		for (curlint = lints; curlint != NULL;) {
++			tmplint = curlint;
++			curlint = curlint->next;
++			free(tmplint->msg);
++			free(tmplint->filename);
++			free(tmplint);
++		}
+ 		return;
+ 	}
+ 
+-- 
+cgit v1.2.3-70-g09d2
+
diff --git a/nano.spec b/nano.spec
index 9905002..65b25cf 100644
--- a/nano.spec
+++ b/nano.spec
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Summary:         A small text editor
 Name:            nano
 Version:         8.1
-Release:         2%{?dist}
+Release:         3%{?dist}
 License:         GPL-3.0-or-later
 URL:             https://www.nano-editor.org
 
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ Source2:         bensberg.pgp
 # Additional sources
 Source3:         nanorc
 
+# avoid a leak when linter aborts after producing parsable output (RHEL-36769)
+Patch0:          nano-8.1-fix-leak-after-linter-failure.patch
+
 BuildRequires:   file-devel
 BuildRequires:   gettext-devel
 BuildRequires:   gcc
@@ -78,6 +81,9 @@ rm -rf %{buildroot}%{_datadir}/nano/extra
 %{_datadir}/nano
 
 %changelog
+* Wed Dec 11 2024 Lukáš Zaoral <lzaoral@redhat.com> - 8.1-3
+- avoid a leak when linter aborts after producing parsable output (RHEL-36769)
+
 * Tue Oct 29 2024 Troy Dawson <tdawson@redhat.com> - 8.1-2
 - Bump release for October 2024 mass rebuild:
   Resolves: RHEL-64018