diff --git a/src/backend/utils/adt/formatting.c b/src/backend/utils/adt/formatting.c
index 783c7b5e7a..409067e4a0 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/adt/formatting.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/adt/formatting.c
@@ -1588,8 +1588,7 @@ icu_convert_case(ICU_Convert_Func func, pg_locale_t mylocale,
    if (status == U_BUFFER_OVERFLOW_ERROR)
    {
        /* try again with adjusted length */
-       pfree(*buff_dest);
-       *buff_dest = palloc(len_dest * sizeof(**buff_dest));
+       *buff_dest = repalloc(*buff_dest, len_dest * sizeof(**buff_dest));
        status = U_ZERO_ERROR;
        len_dest = func(*buff_dest, len_dest, buff_source, len_source,
                        mylocale->info.icu.locale, &status);