diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/c/auto_free_methods.v b/vlib/v/gen/c/auto_free_methods.v
index bcd11841f5..ea74f5281a 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/c/auto_free_methods.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/c/auto_free_methods.v
@@ -14,11 +14,6 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_free_method_for_type(typ ast.Type) string {
 			sym = g.table.get_type_symbol(sym.info.parent_type)
 		}
 	}
-	if sym.kind == .map {
-		return 'map_free'
-	} else if sym.kind == .array {
-		return 'array_free'
-	}
 
 	if sym.has_method('free') {
 		return fn_name
@@ -27,6 +22,12 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_free_method_for_type(typ ast.Type) string {
 		ast.Struct {
 			g.gen_free_for_struct(sym.info, styp, fn_name)
 		}
+		ast.Array {
+			g.gen_free_for_array(sym.info, styp, fn_name)
+		}
+		ast.Map {
+			g.gen_free_for_map(sym.info, styp, fn_name)
+		}
 		else {
 			println(g.table.type_str(typ))
 			verror("could not generate free method '$fn_name' for type '$styp'")
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_free_method_for_type(typ ast.Type) string {
 
 fn (mut g Gen) gen_free_for_struct(info ast.Struct, styp string, fn_name string) {
 	g.type_definitions.writeln('void ${fn_name}($styp* it); // auto')
-	mut fn_builder := strings.new_builder(512)
+	mut fn_builder := strings.new_builder(128)
 	defer {
 		g.auto_fn_definitions << fn_builder.str()
 	}
@@ -59,6 +60,43 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_free_for_struct(info ast.Struct, styp string, fn_name string)
 	fn_builder.writeln('}')
 }
 
+fn (mut g Gen) gen_free_for_array(info ast.Array, styp string, fn_name string) {
+	g.type_definitions.writeln('void ${fn_name}($styp* it); // auto')
+	mut fn_builder := strings.new_builder(128)
+	defer {
+		g.auto_fn_definitions << fn_builder.str()
+	}
+	fn_builder.writeln('void ${fn_name}($styp* it) {')
+
+	sym := g.table.get_type_symbol(g.unwrap_generic(info.elem_type))
+	if sym.kind in [.string, .array, .map, .struct_] {
+		fn_builder.writeln('\tfor (int i = 0; i < it->len; i++) {')
+
+		mut elem_styp := g.typ(info.elem_type).replace('*', '')
+		elem_styp_fn_name := if sym.has_method('free') {
+			'${elem_styp}_free'
+		} else {
+			g.gen_free_method_for_type(info.elem_type)
+		}
+		fn_builder.writeln('\t\t${elem_styp_fn_name}(&((($elem_styp*)it->data)[i]));')
+		fn_builder.writeln('\t}')
+	}
+	fn_builder.writeln('\tarray_free(it);')
+	fn_builder.writeln('}')
+}
+
+fn (mut g Gen) gen_free_for_map(info ast.Map, styp string, fn_name string) {
+	g.type_definitions.writeln('void ${fn_name}($styp* it); // auto')
+	mut fn_builder := strings.new_builder(128)
+	defer {
+		g.auto_fn_definitions << fn_builder.str()
+	}
+	fn_builder.writeln('void ${fn_name}($styp* it) {')
+
+	fn_builder.writeln('\tmap_free(it);')
+	fn_builder.writeln('}')
+}
+
 [inline]
 fn styp_to_free_fn_name(styp string) string {
 	return styp.replace_each(['*', '', '.', '__', ' ', '__']) + '_free'
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/autogen_free_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/autogen_free_test.v
index f22fd1d2b1..e2de36e318 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/autogen_free_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/autogen_free_test.v
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ struct Info {
 	name  string
 	notes []string
 	maps  map[int]int
-	info  SubInfo
+	info  []SubInfo
 }
 
 struct SubInfo {