diff --git a/src/root.zig b/src/root.zig
index a4ac8c6..40aa881 100644
--- a/src/root.zig
+++ b/src/root.zig
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@ var closed = false;
 
 pub var router: Router = undefined;
 
-// used by redirects
-var arena: std.heap.ArenaAllocator = undefined;
 var redirects: std.StringHashMap([]const u8) = undefined;
 
 // allocator ==================================================================
@@ -54,8 +52,7 @@ pub fn init(init_io: Io, init_allocator: Allocator, cfg: *const Config) !void {
 
     router = .init();
 
-    arena = .init(allocator);
-    redirects = .init(arena.allocator());
+    redirects = .init(allocator);
 
     if (luaruntime) {
         data.init();
@@ -73,8 +70,6 @@ pub fn deinit() void {
 
     router.deinit();
 
-    arena.deinit();
-
     redirects.deinit();
 
     if (luaruntime) {