diff --git a/daemon/daemon.c b/daemon/daemon.c
index 85ae1e0a1..6820e1181 100644
--- a/daemon/daemon.c
+++ b/daemon/daemon.c
@@ -704,6 +704,7 @@ daemon_cleanup(struct daemon* daemon)
 	free(daemon->workers);
 	daemon->workers = NULL;
 	daemon->num = 0;
+	alloc_clear_special(&daemon->superalloc);
 #ifdef USE_DNSTAP
 	dt_delete(daemon->dtenv);
 	daemon->dtenv = NULL;
diff --git a/doc/Changelog b/doc/Changelog
index 62534161c..ac8c00c9c 100644
--- a/doc/Changelog
+++ b/doc/Changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+1 May 2018: Wouter
+	- Fix that unbound-control reload frees the rrset keys and returns
+	  the memory pages to the system.
+
 30 April 2018: Wouter
 	- Fix spelling error in man page and note defaults as no instead of
 	  off.
diff --git a/util/alloc.c b/util/alloc.c
index 2c6e1a23f..908b1f423 100644
--- a/util/alloc.c
+++ b/util/alloc.c
@@ -126,10 +126,40 @@ alloc_init(struct alloc_cache* alloc, struct alloc_cache* super,
 	}
 }
 
+/** free the special list */
+static void
+alloc_clear_special_list(struct alloc_cache* alloc)
+{
+	alloc_special_type* p, *np;
+	/* free */
+	p = alloc->quar;
+	while(p) {
+		np = alloc_special_next(p);
+		/* deinit special type */
+		lock_rw_destroy(&p->entry.lock);
+		free(p);
+		p = np;
+	}
+}
+
+void
+alloc_clear_special(struct alloc_cache* alloc)
+{
+	if(!alloc->super) {
+		lock_quick_lock(&alloc->lock);
+	}
+	alloc_clear_special_list(alloc);
+	alloc->quar = 0;
+	alloc->num_quar = 0;
+	if(!alloc->super) {
+		lock_quick_unlock(&alloc->lock);
+	}
+}
+
 void 
 alloc_clear(struct alloc_cache* alloc)
 {
-	alloc_special_type* p, *np;
+	alloc_special_type* p;
 	struct regional* r, *nr;
 	if(!alloc)
 		return;
@@ -147,15 +177,7 @@ alloc_clear(struct alloc_cache* alloc)
 		alloc->super->num_quar += alloc->num_quar;
 		lock_quick_unlock(&alloc->super->lock);
 	} else {
-		/* free */
-		p = alloc->quar;
-		while(p) {
-			np = alloc_special_next(p);
-			/* deinit special type */
-			lock_rw_destroy(&p->entry.lock);
-			free(p);
-			p = np;
-		}
+		alloc_clear_special_list(alloc);
 	}
 	alloc->quar = 0;
 	alloc->num_quar = 0;
diff --git a/util/alloc.h b/util/alloc.h
index 9839a4550..ee03b074e 100644
--- a/util/alloc.h
+++ b/util/alloc.h
@@ -115,6 +115,14 @@ void alloc_init(struct alloc_cache* alloc, struct alloc_cache* super,
  */
 void alloc_clear(struct alloc_cache* alloc);
 
+/**
+ * Free the special alloced items.  The rrset and message caches must be
+ * empty, there must be no more references to rrset pointers into the
+ * rrset cache.
+ * @param alloc: the special allocs are freed.
+ */
+void alloc_clear_special(struct alloc_cache* alloc);
+
 /**
  * Get a new special_type element.
  * @param alloc: where to alloc it.