diff --git a/sapi/phpdbg/phpdbg_list.c b/sapi/phpdbg/phpdbg_list.c
index 36317637475..901fd0bb1cb 100644
--- a/sapi/phpdbg/phpdbg_list.c
+++ b/sapi/phpdbg/phpdbg_list.c
@@ -248,6 +248,7 @@ zend_op_array *phpdbg_compile_file(zend_file_handle *file, int type) {
 		} else {
 			zend_message_dispatcher(ZMSG_FAILED_INCLUDE_FOPEN, file->filename);
 		}
+		return NULL;
 	}
 
 	data.buf = estrndup(bufptr, len);
diff --git a/sapi/phpdbg/tests/bug78297.phpt b/sapi/phpdbg/tests/bug78297.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..47b13ad6054
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sapi/phpdbg/tests/bug78297.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+--TEST--
+Bug #78297: Include unexistent file memory leak
+--PHPDBG--
+r
+q
+--FILE--
+<?php
+include "does_not_exist.php";
+--EXPECTF--
+[Successful compilation of %s]
+prompt> 
+Warning: include(%s): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in %s on line %d
+
+Warning: include(): Failed opening 'does_not_exist.php' for inclusion (include_path=%s) in %s on line %d
+[Script ended normally]
+prompt>