diff --git a/lib/parse.c b/lib/parse.c
index 36ec3cf..3925af9 100644
--- a/lib/parse.c
+++ b/lib/parse.c
@@ -219,22 +219,25 @@ int parse_expr(const char *input, int rem, parse_tree_t *out)
 	return used;
 }
 
-static void class_free(parse_class_t *c)
+void parse_free_tree_children(const parse_tree_t *t)
 {
-	if (NULL != c->contents)
-		free(c->contents);
+	if (NULL != t->alternatives) {
+		for (int i = 0; i < t->count; ++i)
+			parse_free_sequence_children(&t->alternatives[i]);
+		free(t->alternatives);
+	}
 }
 
-static void sequence_free(parse_sequence_t *s)
+void parse_free_sequence_children(const parse_sequence_t *s)
 {
 	if (NULL != s->contents) {
 		for (int i = 0; i < s->len; ++i) {
 			switch (s->contents[i].type) {
 			case PARSE_TERM_CLASS:
-				class_free(&s->contents[i].class);
+				parse_free_class_children(&s->contents[i].class);
 				break;
 			case PARSE_TERM_SUBEXPR:
-				parse_tree_free_children(&s->contents[i].subexpr);
+				parse_free_tree_children(&s->contents[i].subexpr);
 				break;
 			case PARSE_TERM_WILDCARD:
 			case PARSE_TERM_LITERAL:
@@ -245,11 +248,8 @@ static void sequence_free(parse_sequence_t *s)
 	}
 }
 
-void parse_tree_free_children(parse_tree_t *t)
+void parse_free_class_children(const parse_class_t *c)
 {
-	if (NULL != t->alternatives) {
-		for (int i = 0; i < t->count; ++i)
-			sequence_free(&t->alternatives[i]);
-		free(t->alternatives);
-	}
+	if (NULL != c->contents)
+		free(c->contents);
 }
diff --git a/lib/parse.h b/lib/parse.h
index 04c9bc3..31ba184 100644
--- a/lib/parse.h
+++ b/lib/parse.h
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ typedef struct _parse_term {
 } parse_term_t;
 
 int parse_expr(const char *input, int rem, parse_tree_t *out);
-void parse_tree_free_children(parse_tree_t *t);
+
+void parse_free_tree_children(const parse_tree_t *t);
+void parse_free_sequence_children(const parse_sequence_t *s);
+void parse_free_class_children(const parse_class_t *c);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/tests/parse_tests.c b/tests/parse_tests.c
index c86ec56..528a9a1 100644
--- a/tests/parse_tests.c
+++ b/tests/parse_tests.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ static void a_has_1_alternative(void)
 	const int result = PARSE_EXPR_STRING("a", &t);
 	ASSERT_NE(-1, result);
 	ASSERT_EQ(1, t.count);
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void a_pipe_b_has_2_alternatives(void)
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ static void a_pipe_b_has_2_alternatives(void)
 	const int result = PARSE_EXPR_STRING("a|b", &t);
 	ASSERT_NE(-1, result);
 	ASSERT_EQ(2, t.count);
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void a_pipe_b_pipe_c_has_3_alternatives(void)
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ static void a_pipe_b_pipe_c_has_3_alternatives(void)
 	const int result = PARSE_EXPR_STRING("a|b|c", &t);
 	ASSERT_NE(-1, result);
 	ASSERT_EQ(3, t.count);
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void a_is_parsed_as_unquantified_literal(void)
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ static void a_is_parsed_as_unquantified_literal(void)
 	ASSERT_EQ(PARSE_TERM_LITERAL, t.alternatives[0].contents[0].type);
 	ASSERT_EQ('a', t.alternatives[0].contents[0].literal);
 
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void b_is_parsed_as_unquantified_literal(void)
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ static void b_is_parsed_as_unquantified_literal(void)
 	ASSERT_EQ(PARSE_TERM_LITERAL, t.alternatives[0].contents[0].type);
 	ASSERT_EQ('b', t.alternatives[0].contents[0].literal);
 
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void abc_is_parsed_as_sequence_of_unquantified_literals(void)
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ static void abc_is_parsed_as_sequence_of_unquantified_literals(void)
 	ASSERT_EQ(PARSE_TERM_LITERAL, t.alternatives[0].contents[2].type);
 	ASSERT_EQ('c', t.alternatives[0].contents[2].literal);
 
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void dot_is_parsed_as_unquantified_wildcard_term(void)
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ static void dot_is_parsed_as_unquantified_wildcard_term(void)
 	    PARSE_QUANTIFIER_NONE, t.alternatives[0].contents[0].quantifier);
 	ASSERT_EQ(PARSE_TERM_WILDCARD, t.alternatives[0].contents[0].type);
 
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void backslash_dot_is_parsed_as_unquantified_literal(void)
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ static void backslash_dot_is_parsed_as_unquantified_literal(void)
 	ASSERT_EQ(PARSE_TERM_LITERAL, t.alternatives[0].contents[0].type);
 	ASSERT_EQ('.', t.alternatives[0].contents[0].literal);
 
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void backslash_backslash_is_parsed_as_unquantified_literal(void)
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ static void backslash_backslash_is_parsed_as_unquantified_literal(void)
 	ASSERT_EQ(PARSE_TERM_LITERAL, t.alternatives[0].contents[0].type);
 	ASSERT_EQ('\\', t.alternatives[0].contents[0].literal);
 
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void a_pipe_b_in_parens_is_parsed_as_subexpr_term(void)
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ static void a_pipe_b_in_parens_is_parsed_as_subexpr_term(void)
 	ASSERT_EQ(PARSE_TERM_LITERAL, inner->alternatives[1].contents[0].type);
 	ASSERT_EQ('b', inner->alternatives[1].contents[0].literal);
 
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void a_in_parens_b_is_parsed_as_sequence_with_subexpr_term(void)
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ static void a_in_parens_b_is_parsed_as_sequence_with_subexpr_term(void)
 	ASSERT_EQ(PARSE_TERM_LITERAL, inner->alternatives[0].contents[0].type);
 	ASSERT_EQ('a', inner->alternatives[0].contents[0].literal);
 
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void dot_star_is_parsed_as_star_quantified_wildcard(void)
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ static void dot_star_is_parsed_as_star_quantified_wildcard(void)
 	    PARSE_QUANTIFIER_STAR, t.alternatives[0].contents[0].quantifier);
 	ASSERT_EQ(PARSE_TERM_WILDCARD, t.alternatives[0].contents[0].type);
 
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void dot_plus_is_parsed_as_plus_quantified_wildcard(void)
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ static void dot_plus_is_parsed_as_plus_quantified_wildcard(void)
 	    PARSE_QUANTIFIER_PLUS, t.alternatives[0].contents[0].quantifier);
 	ASSERT_EQ(PARSE_TERM_WILDCARD, t.alternatives[0].contents[0].type);
 
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void dot_question_mark_is_parsed_as_qmrk_quantified_wildcard(void)
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ static void dot_question_mark_is_parsed_as_qmrk_quantified_wildcard(void)
 	    PARSE_QUANTIFIER_QMRK, t.alternatives[0].contents[0].quantifier);
 	ASSERT_EQ(PARSE_TERM_WILDCARD, t.alternatives[0].contents[0].type);
 
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void a_in_brackets_is_parsed_as_class_containing_only_a(void)
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ static void a_in_brackets_is_parsed_as_class_containing_only_a(void)
 	ASSERT_NOT_NULL(t.alternatives[0].contents[0].class.contents);
 	ASSERT_EQ('a', t.alternatives[0].contents[0].class.contents[0]);
 
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 static void caret_a_in_brackets_parses_as_negated_class(void)
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ static void caret_a_in_brackets_parses_as_negated_class(void)
 	ASSERT_NOT_NULL(t.alternatives[0].contents[0].class.contents);
 	ASSERT_EQ('a', t.alternatives[0].contents[0].class.contents[0]);
 
-	parse_tree_free_children(&t);
+	parse_free_tree_children(&t);
 }
 
 int main(void)