diff --git a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInspection/ex/InspectionProfileImpl.java b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInspection/ex/InspectionProfileImpl.java
index 103560466ea5..b60b58736eb3 100644
--- a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInspection/ex/InspectionProfileImpl.java
+++ b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInspection/ex/InspectionProfileImpl.java
@@ -261,7 +261,8 @@ public class InspectionProfileImpl extends ProfileEx implements ModifiableModel,
 
     StringInterner interner = new StringInterner();
     for (final Object o : element.getChildren(INSPECTION_TOOL_TAG)) {
-      Element toolElement = (Element)o;
+      // make clone to avoid retaining memory via o.parent pointers
+      Element toolElement = (Element)((Element)o).clone();
       JDOMUtil.internElement(toolElement, interner);
 
       String toolClassName = toolElement.getAttributeValue(CLASS_TAG);