diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_gpencil_legacy.h b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_gpencil_legacy.h
index b4312ff8ee1..f29cfc44ae6 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_gpencil_legacy.h
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_gpencil_legacy.h
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ bool BKE_gpencil_free_strokes(struct bGPDframe *gpf);
 void BKE_gpencil_free_frames(struct bGPDlayer *gpl);
 /** Free all of the gp-layers for a viewport (list should be `&gpd->layers` or so). */
 void BKE_gpencil_free_layers(struct ListBase *list);
+/** Free all of the palettes (list should be `&gpd->palettes` or so). */
+void BKE_gpencil_free_legacy_palette_data(struct ListBase *list);
 /** Free (or release) any data used by this grease pencil (does not free the gpencil itself). */
 void BKE_gpencil_free_data(struct bGPdata *gpd, bool free_all);
 /**
diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/gpencil_legacy.cc b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/gpencil_legacy.cc
index d053f319539..9b5f98e7fb2 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/gpencil_legacy.cc
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/gpencil_legacy.cc
@@ -443,10 +443,21 @@ void BKE_gpencil_free_layers(ListBase *list)
   }
 }
 
+/* Free all of the gp-palettes and colors. */
+void BKE_gpencil_free_legacy_palette_data(ListBase *list)
+{
+  LISTBASE_FOREACH_MUTABLE (bGPDpalette *, palette, list) {
+    BLI_freelistN(&palette->colors);
+    MEM_freeN(palette);
+  }
+  BLI_listbase_clear(list);
+}
+
 void BKE_gpencil_free_data(bGPdata *gpd, bool free_all)
 {
   /* free layers */
   BKE_gpencil_free_layers(&gpd->layers);
+  BKE_gpencil_free_legacy_palette_data(&gpd->palettes);
 
   /* materials */
   MEM_SAFE_FREE(gpd->mat);
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/gpencil_legacy/gpencil_ops_versioning.cc b/source/blender/editors/gpencil_legacy/gpencil_ops_versioning.cc
index 47a833bd7eb..dba856f71df 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/gpencil_legacy/gpencil_ops_versioning.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/gpencil_legacy/gpencil_ops_versioning.cc
@@ -40,41 +40,6 @@
 
 #include "gpencil_intern.h"
 
-/* Free all of a gp-colors */
-static void free_gpencil_colors(bGPDpalette *palette)
-{
-  /* error checking */
-  if (palette == nullptr) {
-    return;
-  }
-
-  /* free colors */
-  BLI_freelistN(&palette->colors);
-}
-
-/* Free all of the gp-palettes and colors */
-static void free_palettes(ListBase *list)
-{
-  bGPDpalette *palette_next;
-
-  /* error checking */
-  if (list == nullptr) {
-    return;
-  }
-
-  /* delete palettes */
-  for (bGPDpalette *palette = static_cast<bGPDpalette *>(list->first); palette;
-       palette = palette_next)
-  {
-    palette_next = palette->next;
-    /* free palette colors */
-    free_gpencil_colors(palette);
-
-    MEM_freeN(palette);
-  }
-  BLI_listbase_clear(list);
-}
-
 /* ***************** Convert old 2.7 files to 2.8 ************************ */
 static bool gpencil_convert_old_files_poll(bContext *C)
 {
@@ -138,7 +103,7 @@ static int gpencil_convert_old_files_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *op)
     }
 
     /* free palettes */
-    free_palettes(&gpd->palettes);
+    BKE_gpencil_free_legacy_palette_data(&gpd->palettes);
 
     /* disable all GP modes */
     ED_gpencil_setup_modes(C, gpd, 0);