diff --git a/src/runtime/document.c b/src/runtime/document.c
index 34c7b19c..9f85f0f3 100644
--- a/src/runtime/document.c
+++ b/src/runtime/document.c
@@ -34,7 +34,10 @@ const TSLanguage *ts_document_language(TSDocument *self) {
 void ts_document_set_language(TSDocument *self, const TSLanguage *language) {
   ts_document_invalidate(self);
   self->parser.language = language;
-  self->tree = NULL;
+  if (self->tree) {
+    ts_tree_release(self->tree);
+    self->tree = NULL;
+  }
 }
 
 TSDebugger ts_document_debugger(const TSDocument *self) {