diff --git a/src/frontend/numparam/numparam.h b/src/frontend/numparam/numparam.h
index 71c1df6c2..442a528e9 100644
--- a/src/frontend/numparam/numparam.h
+++ b/src/frontend/numparam/numparam.h
@@ -77,3 +77,4 @@ void nupa_subcktexit(tdico *dico);
 tdico *nupa_fetchinstance(void);
 char getidtype(tdico *d, char *s);
 entry *attrib(tdico *d, NGHASHPTR htable, char *t, char op);
+void del_attrib(entry *);
diff --git a/src/frontend/numparam/spicenum.c b/src/frontend/numparam/spicenum.c
index 88f88ecb5..134b3be41 100644
--- a/src/frontend/numparam/spicenum.c
+++ b/src/frontend/numparam/spicenum.c
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ nupa_del_dicoS(void)
     dispose(dicoS->dyncategory);
     dispose(dicoS->inst_name);
     dispose(dicoS->local_symbols);
-    nghash_free(dicoS->global_symbols, NULL, NULL);
+    nghash_free(dicoS->global_symbols, del_attrib, NULL);
     dispose(dicoS);
     dicoS = NULL;
 }
diff --git a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
index e4d12e742..842658d88 100644
--- a/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
+++ b/src/frontend/numparam/xpressn.c
@@ -439,6 +439,21 @@ attrib(tdico *dico_p, NGHASHPTR htable_p, char *t, char op)
 }
 
 
+/* user defined delete function:
+ *   free the dictionary entries malloc'ed above
+ * will be called by nghash_free() in nupa_del_dicoS()
+ */
+
+void
+del_attrib(entry *entry_p)
+{
+    if(entry_p) {
+        tfree(entry_p->symbol);
+        tfree(entry_p);
+    }
+}
+
+
 static bool
 define(tdico *dico,
        char *t,                 /* identifier to define */