diff --git a/basis/struct-arrays/struct-arrays-tests.factor b/basis/struct-arrays/struct-arrays-tests.factor
index d2bf583b5a..6f77e66cd2 100755
--- a/basis/struct-arrays/struct-arrays-tests.factor
+++ b/basis/struct-arrays/struct-arrays-tests.factor
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 IN: struct-arrays.tests
 USING: struct-arrays tools.test kernel math sequences
-alien.syntax alien.c-types destructors libc accessors ;
+alien.syntax alien.c-types destructors libc accessors
+destructors ;
 
 C-STRUCT: test-struct
 { "int" "x" }
@@ -27,3 +28,12 @@ C-STRUCT: test-struct
         0 [ [ test-struct-x ] [ test-struct-y ] bi / + ] reduce
     ] with-destructors
 ] unit-test
+
+[ ] [ ALIEN: 123 10 "test-struct" <direct-struct-array> drop ] unit-test
+
+[ ] [
+    [
+        10 "test-struct" malloc-struct-array
+        underlying>> &free drop
+    ] with-destructors
+] unit-test
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/basis/struct-arrays/struct-arrays.factor b/basis/struct-arrays/struct-arrays.factor
index 33a469d0c8..ba0524009f 100755
--- a/basis/struct-arrays/struct-arrays.factor
+++ b/basis/struct-arrays/struct-arrays.factor
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ ERROR: bad-byte-array-length byte-array ;
     ] keep struct-array boa ; inline
 
 : <direct-struct-array> ( alien length c-type -- struct-array )
-    struct-array boa ; inline
+    heap-size struct-array boa ; inline
 
 : malloc-struct-array ( length c-type -- struct-array )
-    heap-size [ calloc ] 2keep <direct-struct-array> ;
+    [ heap-size calloc ] 2keep <direct-struct-array> ;
 
 INSTANCE: struct-array sequence