diff -r d54a72c94320 -r 54150a21abb4 ui/motif/label.c
--- a/ui/motif/label.c	Tue Nov 18 13:33:38 2025 +0100
+++ b/ui/motif/label.c	Tue Nov 18 13:40:15 2025 +0100
@@ -110,15 +110,15 @@
 }
 
 void ui_label_set(UiString *s, const char *str) {
+    Widget w = s->obj;
+    XmString s1 = XmStringCreateLocalized(str ? (char*)str : "");
+    XtVaSetValues(w, XmNlabelString, s1, NULL);
+    XmStringFree(s1);
     if(s->value.free) {
         s->value.free(s->value.ptr);
         s->value.free = NULL;
         s->value.ptr = NULL;
     }
-    Widget w = s->obj;
-    XmString s1 = XmStringCreateLocalized(str ? (char*)str : "");
-    XtVaSetValues(w, XmNlabelString, s1, NULL);
-    XmStringFree(s1);
 }
 
 /* -------------------------- progressbar/spiner -------------------------- */