diff --git a/utils/imxtools/sb.c b/utils/imxtools/sb.c
index 44db56b7d1..23b89e52c8 100644
--- a/utils/imxtools/sb.c
+++ b/utils/imxtools/sb.c
@@ -1039,13 +1039,16 @@ struct sb_file_t *sb_read_file(const char *filename, bool raw_mode, void *u,
     #undef print_hex
 }
 
+void sb_free_instruction(struct sb_inst_t inst)
+{
+    free(inst.padding);
+    free(inst.data);
+}
+
 void sb_free_section(struct sb_section_t sec)
 {
     for(int j = 0; j < sec.nr_insts; j++)
-    {
-        free(sec.insts[j].padding);
-        free(sec.insts[j].data);
-    }
+        sb_free_instruction(sec.insts[j]);
     free(sec.insts);
 }
 
diff --git a/utils/imxtools/sb.h b/utils/imxtools/sb.h
index ced6481a80..e0f25b68a4 100644
--- a/utils/imxtools/sb.h
+++ b/utils/imxtools/sb.h
@@ -231,6 +231,7 @@ struct sb_file_t *sb_read_file(const char *filename, bool raw_mode, void *u,
 
 void sb_fill_section_name(char name[5], uint32_t identifier);
 void sb_dump(struct sb_file_t *file, void *u, sb_color_printf printf);
+void sb_free_instruction(struct sb_inst_t inst);
 void sb_free_section(struct sb_section_t file);
 void sb_free(struct sb_file_t *file);