diff --git a/src/cart/crt_corpc.c b/src/cart/crt_corpc.c
index 6b9fef59472..bb7728a18fe 100644
--- a/src/cart/crt_corpc.c
+++ b/src/cart/crt_corpc.c
@@ -729,10 +729,14 @@ crt_corpc_reply_hdlr(const struct crt_cb_info *cb_info)
 	D_SPIN_UNLOCK(&parent_rpc_priv->crp_lock);
 
 	if (req_done) {
+		bool am_root;
+
 		RPC_ADDREF(parent_rpc_priv);
 		crt_corpc_complete(parent_rpc_priv);
 
-		if (co_ops && co_ops->co_post_reply)
+		am_root = (co_info->co_grp_priv->gp_self ==
+			   co_info->co_root);
+		if (co_ops && co_ops->co_post_reply && !am_root)
 			co_ops->co_post_reply(&parent_rpc_priv->crp_pub,
 					co_info->co_priv);
 		RPC_DECREF(parent_rpc_priv);
diff --git a/src/mgmt/srv.c b/src/mgmt/srv.c
index 8f0ab290f99..d9390550ae4 100644
--- a/src/mgmt/srv.c
+++ b/src/mgmt/srv.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ const int max_svc_nreplicas = 13;
 static struct crt_corpc_ops ds_mgmt_hdlr_tgt_create_co_ops = {
 	.co_aggregate	= ds_mgmt_tgt_create_aggregator,
 	.co_pre_forward	= NULL,
+	.co_post_reply = ds_mgmt_tgt_create_post_reply,
 };
 
 static struct crt_corpc_ops ds_mgmt_hdlr_tgt_map_update_co_ops = {
diff --git a/src/mgmt/srv_internal.h b/src/mgmt/srv_internal.h
index 1fbd8373841..f6fba3b63c7 100644
--- a/src/mgmt/srv_internal.h
+++ b/src/mgmt/srv_internal.h
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ void ds_mgmt_hdlr_tgt_create(crt_rpc_t *rpc_req);
 void ds_mgmt_hdlr_tgt_destroy(crt_rpc_t *rpc_req);
 int ds_mgmt_tgt_create_aggregator(crt_rpc_t *source, crt_rpc_t *result,
 				  void *priv);
+int ds_mgmt_tgt_create_post_reply(crt_rpc_t *rpc, void *priv);
 void ds_mgmt_tgt_profile_hdlr(crt_rpc_t *rpc);
 int ds_mgmt_tgt_map_update_pre_forward(crt_rpc_t *rpc, void *arg);
 void ds_mgmt_hdlr_tgt_map_update(crt_rpc_t *rpc);
diff --git a/src/mgmt/srv_target.c b/src/mgmt/srv_target.c
index 2d649980222..f5d2742a233 100644
--- a/src/mgmt/srv_target.c
+++ b/src/mgmt/srv_target.c
@@ -682,6 +682,18 @@ tgt_create(struct ds_pooltgts_rec *ptrec, uuid_t pool_uuid, uuid_t tgt_uuid,
 	return rc;
 }
 
+int
+ds_mgmt_tgt_create_post_reply(crt_rpc_t *rpc, void *priv)
+{
+	struct mgmt_tgt_create_out	*tc_out;
+
+	tc_out = crt_reply_get(rpc);
+	D_FREE(tc_out->tc_tgt_uuids.ca_arrays);
+	D_FREE(tc_out->tc_ranks.ca_arrays);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int
 ds_mgmt_tgt_create_aggregator(crt_rpc_t *source, crt_rpc_t *result,
 			      void *priv)