diff --git a/source/blender/sequencer/intern/strip_add.cc b/source/blender/sequencer/intern/strip_add.cc
index 941b8e85c0d..8ed9ef6e154 100644
--- a/source/blender/sequencer/intern/strip_add.cc
+++ b/source/blender/sequencer/intern/strip_add.cc
@@ -511,6 +511,8 @@ Sequence *SEQ_add_movie_strip(Main *bmain, Scene *scene, ListBase *seqbase, SeqL
   seq_add_set_name(scene, seq, load_data);
   seq_add_generic_update(scene, seq);
 
+  /* Prevent high memory usage when adding many files at once. */
+  SEQ_relations_sequence_free_anim(seq);
   MEM_freeN(anim_arr);
   return seq;
 }
@@ -626,6 +628,9 @@ void SEQ_add_reload_new_file(Main *bmain, Scene *scene, Sequence *seq, const boo
       if (seq->len < 0) {
         seq->len = 0;
       }
+
+      /* Prevent high memory usage when reloading many files at once. */
+      SEQ_relations_sequence_free_anim(seq);
       break;
     }
     case SEQ_TYPE_MOVIECLIP: