diff --git a/blocktx/peer_handler.go b/blocktx/peer_handler.go
index 3a206a369..b3f9766ea 100644
--- a/blocktx/peer_handler.go
+++ b/blocktx/peer_handler.go
@@ -495,9 +495,6 @@ func (bs *PeerHandler) markTransactionsAsMined(blockId uint64, merkleTree []*cha
 				return fmt.Errorf("failed to insert block transactions at block height %d: %v", blockHeight, err)
 			}
 			// free up memory
-			txs = nil
-			merklePaths = nil
-
 			txs = make([]*blocktx_api.TransactionAndSource, 0, bs.transactionStorageBatchSize)
 			merklePaths = make([]string, 0, bs.transactionStorageBatchSize)