diff --git a/modules/src/em_opt/main.c b/modules/src/em_opt/main.c
index ac4f25e5f..dafed33c1 100644
--- a/modules/src/em_opt/main.c
+++ b/modules/src/em_opt/main.c
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ main(argc,argv)
 		default:
 			FLUSHDFA();
 			EM_mkcalls(p);
+			OO_free(p);
 			break;
 		case EM_EOF:
 			goto got_eof;
diff --git a/modules/src/em_opt/nopt.c b/modules/src/em_opt/nopt.c
index 71bb4ec57..39f1706bb 100644
--- a/modules/src/em_opt/nopt.c
+++ b/modules/src/em_opt/nopt.c
@@ -6,14 +6,12 @@ static char rcsid2[] = "$Header$";
 extern int OO_maxpattern;	/* Initialized from patterns in dfa.c */
 #define MAXBACKUP	50
 #define MAXOUTPUT	200
-#define MAXFREEI	200
 #define MAXSTRING	1000
 
 extern char	em_mnem[][4];
 extern char	em_pseu[][4];
 
-p_instr		*OO_freeiqueue;
-p_instr		*OO_nxtifree;
+p_instr		OO_freeq;
 p_instr		*OO_patternqueue;
 p_instr		*OO_nxtpatt;
 p_instr		*OO_bkupqueue;
@@ -25,7 +23,6 @@ static p_instr	*lastbackup;
 static p_instr	*outputqueue;
 static p_instr	*nextoutput;
 static p_instr	*lastoutput;
-static p_instr	*lastifree;
 static char	*strqueue;
 static char	*nextstr;
 static char	*laststr;
@@ -88,9 +85,6 @@ allocmem()
 		(p_instr *)Malloc(MAXOUTPUT*sizeof(p_instr));
 	lastoutput = outputqueue + MAXOUTPUT - 1;
 	OO_noutput = 0;
-	OO_nxtifree = OO_freeiqueue =
-		(p_instr *)Malloc(MAXFREEI*sizeof(p_instr));
-	lastifree = OO_freeiqueue + MAXFREEI - 1;
 	nextstr = strqueue =
 		(char *)Malloc(MAXSTRING*sizeof(char));
 	laststr = strqueue + MAXSTRING - 1;
@@ -101,27 +95,13 @@ allocmem()
 	OO_OTHER->em_argtype = 0;
 }
 
-OO_free(p)
-	p_instr	p;
-{
-	if(OO_nxtifree > lastifree) {
-#ifdef DEBUG
-		fprintf(stderr,"Warning: Overflow of free intr. queue.\n");
-		fprintf(stderr,"Ignored free of ");
-		prtinst(p);
-		fprintf(stderr,"\n");
-		printstate("Freea overflow");
-#endif
-		return;
-	}
-	*OO_nxtifree++ = p;
-}
-
 OO_nfree(n)
 	register int n;
 {
+	register p_instr *p = OO_nxtpatt = OO_patternqueue;
 	while(n--) {
-		OO_free(*--OO_nxtpatt);
+		OO_free(*p);	/* OO_free is macro so don't use *p++ */
+		p++;
 	}
 	OO_state = 0;
 }
diff --git a/modules/src/em_opt/nopt.h b/modules/src/em_opt/nopt.h
index c5303d407..df71693ef 100644
--- a/modules/src/em_opt/nopt.h
+++ b/modules/src/em_opt/nopt.h
@@ -21,11 +21,10 @@ typedef struct e_instr *p_instr;
 				*OO_nxtpatt++ = OO_OTHER; OO_dfa(OTHER);\
 			} else if(OO_noutput) OO_flush();
 
-#define GETINSTR() (OO_nxtifree>OO_freeiqueue)?*(--OO_nxtifree):\
-			((p_instr)Malloc(sizeof(struct e_instr)))
+#define GETINSTR() ((p_instr)st_alloc((char **)&OO_freeq,sizeof(struct e_instr),20))
+#define OO_free(p) st_free((p),&OO_freeq,sizeof(struct e_instr))
 
-extern p_instr	*OO_freeiqueue;
-extern p_instr	*OO_nxtifree;
+extern p_instr	OO_freeq;
 extern p_instr	*OO_patternqueue;
 extern p_instr	*OO_nxtpatt;
 extern p_instr	*OO_bkupqueue;