diff --git a/src/execution-world/candidate.ts b/src/execution-world/candidate.ts
index 090cd57..fd3def5 100644
--- a/src/execution-world/candidate.ts
+++ b/src/execution-world/candidate.ts
@@ -10,10 +10,16 @@ import {
   type CandidateMetadataScope,
 } from "./metadata.js";
 const rootPattern = /^\/nix\/store\/[a-z0-9]{32}-[^/\s]+$/;
-async function readJson(root: string, file: string, scope: CandidateMetadataScope): Promise<any> {
+async function readJson(root: string, file: string, scope: CandidateMetadataScope) {
   const input = await readCandidateMetadata(join(root, file), scope, 32 * 1024 * 1024);
   try {
-    return JSON.parse(new TextDecoder("utf-8", { fatal: true }).decode(input.bytes));
+    return {
+      value: JSON.parse(new TextDecoder("utf-8", { fatal: true }).decode(input.bytes)),
+      releaseTree: input.releaseTree,
+    };
+  } catch (error) {
+    input.releaseTree();
+    throw error;
   } finally {
     input.releaseInput();
   }
@@ -30,6 +36,7 @@ export async function loadCheckedInstallationCandidate(
   if (!rootPattern.test(root) || !(await lstat(root)).isDirectory())
     throw Error("Candidate must be an immutable Nix output directory");
   const scope = (resources.budget ?? candidateMetadataBudget).acquire(resources.owner ?? root);
+  let releaseValidation = () => {};
   try {
     // Sequential reads avoid partially rejected Promise.all() work allocating
     // after the failed candidate's reservation has been released.
@@ -43,8 +50,13 @@ export async function loadCheckedInstallationCandidate(
       "kernel.json",
       "queries.json",
       "graph-execution.json",
-    ])
-      values.push(await readJson(root, file, scope));
+    ]) {
+      const parsed = await readJson(root, file, scope);
+      values.push(parsed.value);
+      // candidate.json duplicates the checked plan for validation. Nothing in
+      // the installed candidate retains this input tree after validation.
+      if (file === "candidate.json") releaseValidation = parsed.releaseTree;
+    }
     const [candidate, plan, artifacts, source, entryRequest, kernel, queries, graph] = values;
     const { executionContracts: _legacyContracts, ...workspace } = candidate;
     if (
@@ -149,6 +161,8 @@ export async function loadCheckedInstallationCandidate(
   } catch (error) {
     scope.release();
     throw error;
+  } finally {
+    releaseValidation();
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/execution-world/metadata.ts b/src/execution-world/metadata.ts
index a7c0664..66bc5fa 100644
--- a/src/execution-world/metadata.ts
+++ b/src/execution-world/metadata.ts
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ export async function readCandidateMetadata(
   path: string,
   scope: CandidateMetadataScope,
   limit: number,
-): Promise<{ bytes: Uint8Array; releaseInput: () => void }> {
+): Promise<{ bytes: Uint8Array; releaseInput: () => void; releaseTree: () => void }> {
   const handle = await open(path, constants.O_RDONLY | constants.O_NOFOLLOW | constants.O_NONBLOCK);
   let releaseInput: (() => void) | undefined;
   try {
@@ -123,8 +123,8 @@ export async function readCandidateMetadata(
     if (offset !== stat.size) throw Error("CANDIDATE_METADATA_CHANGED");
     const content = bytes.subarray(0, offset);
     // No JSON.parse/decoded tree exists until its shape-based charge succeeds.
-    scope.charge(jsonAllocation(content));
-    return { bytes: content, releaseInput };
+    const releaseTree = scope.reserve(jsonAllocation(content));
+    return { bytes: content, releaseInput, releaseTree };
   } catch (error) {
     releaseInput?.();
     throw error;
diff --git a/test/candidate-metadata.test.ts b/test/candidate-metadata.test.ts
index b8871f1..67e96f9 100644
--- a/test/candidate-metadata.test.ts
+++ b/test/candidate-metadata.test.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ test("metadata files reserve parse/index space before allocation and refuse over
     await assert.rejects(readCandidateMetadata(join(root, "linked"), scope, 100), { code: "ELOOP" });
     await assert.rejects(readCandidateMetadata(root, scope, 100), /CANDIDATE_METADATA_FILE_LIMIT/);
     assert.equal(scope.bytes, first);
+    input.releaseTree();
+    input.releaseTree();
+    assert.equal(scope.bytes, 0, "Discarded validation trees can release independently of the candidate");
   } finally {
     scope.release();
     await rm(root, { recursive: true, force: true });